Drying Kinetics Modeling and Quality Attributes of Pear Pomace Powders from Santa Maria and Abate Cultivars

Pear pomace, a major by-product of industrial juice processing, represents a valuable resource for the development of functional ingredients. This study aimed to investigate the drying kinetics and quality attributes of pear pomace from two cultivars (Santa Maria and Abate) subjected to thin-layer convective drying at 57, 63, and 68 °C and an air velocity of 1.5 m/s. Experimental moisture ratio data were fitted using twelve empirical and semi-empirical models, and model performance was evaluated based on statistical criteria. The Midilli–Kucuk, logarithmic, and two-term models provided the best fit to the experimental data. Effective moisture diffusivity ranged from 1.44 to 1.90 × 10−8 m2/s and increased with temperature. The resulting powders were characterized in terms of physicochemical properties, proximate composition, and bioactive compounds. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between cultivars were observed for most quality parameters. Total phenolic content (200.64–301.09 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAEs)/100 g dry sample) and antioxidant activity (0.56–0.97 mmol Trolox/100 g dry sample) were approximately 1.5-fold higher in Abate than in Santa Maria pomace powder. Drying temperature had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on these parameters; however, individual phenolic compounds, such as rutin and epicatechin, showed a decreasing trend with increasing temperature. These findings support the potential of pear pomace as a functional ingredient and provide useful information for optimizing drying processes.