EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PRE-TREATMENTS ON DRYING OF RAINBOW TROUT

Abstract

Impacts of different pre-treatment (citric acid, blanching and salt water dipping) and drying circumstances on Rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) fillet samples at the cabinet laboratory type dryer was analyzed. Drying tests were carried out at 40, 50 and 60°C, respectively. According to the obtained conclusions the moisture content was considerably affected by the pre-treatment type and drying air temperature. When compared the drying times of Rainbow trout fillet samples, it was observed that blanched>citric acid>salted ³ natural. The drying data for the moisture ratio versus time was fitted to 4 different thin-layer models. The best fit for the simulated drying models was specified by use of the highest determination of coefficient value (R 2 ), the lowest reduced chi-square ( χ 2 ) value and the lowest root mean square error (RMSE). The Midilli et al. model was found out as the most appropriate model in explicating the drying properties of Rainbow trout fillets.