Effect of Dispersed Density and Pre-treatment on Rehydration of Dried Spinach Leaves

Abstract

Drying behaviour of spinach leaves was characterized for three levels of temperature (50, 60 and 70ºC), two levels of pretreatment (blanched and unblanched) and two levels of dispersed density (30 kg.m^-3 and 50 kg.m^-3) at a constant air velocity of 1.6 m.s^-1. The rehydration and optical density values were optimized for blanched leaves at 70°C temperature and 50 kg.m^-3 dispersed density. Rehydration and optical density values varied from 212.66 to 256.58 and 0.43 to 0.67, respectively, with increase in temperature.