New Process for Texturizing Partially Dehydrated Biological Products Using Controlled Sudden Decompression to the Vacuum: Application on Potatoes

• Published in: Journal of food science Vol. 67; no. 8; pp. 3033 - 3038
• Main Authors: Louka, N, Allaf, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-10-2002; Institute of Food Technologists; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; decompression; dried foods; drying; expansion; Food engineering; Food industries; Food preservation; Food science; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Potatoes; steam; texturization; texturizing; vacuum; Potato; Vegetables; Vacuum; Physical dressing; Texturation; drying; decompression; Dehydration; Microstructure; Expansion; Pressure relief; texturizing
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2002.tb08855.x

A new texturizing process, Controlled Sudden Decompression (Détente Instantanée Contrôlée “DIC®“), has been developed to improve the quality of hot-air dried food. The process involves a treatment under high pressure of steam followed by an extremely rapid decompression to the vacuum. Coupled with a drying step, this process provides high-quality finished products for a similar overall cost to hot-air drying alone. The definition, design, and achievement of the appropriate equipment have already been dealt with. In this study, 2 parameters directly related to DIC expansion were examined: initial pressure (before decompression) in the vacuum tank and the decompression duration. Impact of structural modifications on the rate of dehydration was also quantified.