Effect of rehydration on texture properties of Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea L.) dehydrated by tray drying and freeze drying

Mexican plum (Spondias purpurea L.) is a fruit with high nutritional content. Freeze and tray drying increases its shelf life, however non-reversible changes may ocurr. Properties as rehydration capacity and texture are considered as a measure of the injury to the material caused by drying. In this sense, the objective of this research was to evaluate the texture profile of dehydrated plum during rehydration and compare it with properties of raw plum. Freeze drying provided a product with less tissue damage reflected in the high rehydration capacity and texture characteristics very close to original unlike those dehydrated by hot air. (Author)