Application of novel blanching and drying technologies improves the potato drying kinetics and maintains its physicochemical attributes and flour functional properties

This study delves into applying innovative blanching and drying technologies to preserve potatoes as a staple crop. The potato slices were subjected to innovative high-humid hot-air impinged blanching (HHAIB) and vacuum-steam pulse blanching (VSPB) in comparison to conventional hot water and steam blanching and underwent drying through either pulsed vacuum drying (PVD) and humidity-controlled hot air drying (HC-HAD), compared to conventional hot air drying. Blanched potato slices exhibited the longest drying time under PVD, whereas HC-HAD achieved the shortest drying time. Blanching improved the dried potatoes' color, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidation activity. The combination of HHAIB and HC-HAD resulted in a less compacted structure, reduced drying time, enhanced moisture diffusivity, TPC, and antioxidative activity. Also, it increased the potato flour particle size, decreasing the pasting temperature and viscosities and improving the hydration properties. In conclusion, the synergistic application of HHAIB and HC-HAD presents a superior approach for potato dehydration.