JOURNAL OF FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING, cilt.40, sa.2, 2017 (SCI-Expanded)
The main purpose of this study is the mathematical modeling of low temperature and high velocity (LTHV) drying method with different temperatures and its comprehensive evaluations in fish. For this purpose, 200g of trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was dried with a single layer dryer by using 7m/s air velocity and approximate to 40-50% relative humidity at 4, 10, 15 and 20 degrees C. Based on the experiments, weight loss (percentage), final moisture content and drying times were determined. Twenty-three different mathematical models were applied to the observed data to perform a nonlinear regression analysis and the result was comprehensively evaluated by using 14 evaluation criteria. Moreover, the exponential forms of thin-layer drying curves of fish samples were derived. Consequently, the most suitable mathematical models were selected for the LTHV drying conditions considering evaluation criteria. In this regard, the most suitable six models (Logarithmic, Midilli-Kucuk, Demir et al., Hii et al., Balbay-Sahin and Alibas) were selected for the LTHV drying at 4 degrees C that is the most suitable drying temperature for food quality. After comprehensive evaluations, it was understood that some of the evaluation criteria give same results in similar drying conditions as the residual sum of squares (RSS), total sum of squares (SST) and sum of squares (SSE).