The thesis addresses the impact of pre-treatment of biological tissues with pulsed electric field (PEF) on the dynamics of their dehydration. The aim of the research is to determine whether PEF can accelerate the drying process of biological tissues, leading to more efficient production of dehydrated foods with lower energy consumption. PEF is used to increase the permeability of cell membranes, which allows faster diffusion of water and other molecules from the tissue during drying.
In this research, experiments were conducted on samples of potatoes and chicken breasts, which were exposed to different voltages and numbers of pulses. The results showed that pre-treatment with PEF significantly affects the drying dynamics of potatoes, while no significant differences were observed in chicken breasts. It was found that higher voltage increases the drying rate of potatoes, but the number of pulses did not have a significant impact on dehydration.
The study confirms the hypothesis that PEF can accelerate the drying of plant tissues, while it does not have a major impact on animal tissues. Electroporation could become a key technology in optimizing drying processes in the food industry, especially in the production of dried fruits and spices. The study also confirms the hypothesis that the effect of PEF on the drying dynamics of plant tissue can be studied using the gravimetric method (weighing).
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