Non-invasive monitoring of potato drying by means of air-coupled ultrasound

Air-coupled ultrasound could be considered a suitable on-line technique for the non-invasive industrial testing of potato products manufactured in slices such as dried, fried or baked chips. Thus, aim present study is to test feasibility air-coupled monitor modifications physicochemical parameters caused by drying. For that purpose, (6 mm) were air dried (60 °C) different drying times (15, 90, 180, 300 and 420 min). ultrasonic measurements taken using through-transmission mode (250 kHz) compositional textural measured. During drying, velocity impedance increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 509 m/s (raw) 673 (dried min) 0.544 MRayl 0.844 min), respectively. Furthermore, reduction was observed material attenuation, which computed increase variation transmission coefficient with frequency (ΔTCf). A principal component regression (PCR) model successfully trained validated it demonstrated potential capacity predict apparent elastic modulus (E) (R2 = 0.96) Total Relaxation Capacity (TRC) 0.99) during slices. The analysis experimental set-up proposed this may easily implemented tested other products, extruded snacks based on fruits vegetables, quality control purposes.