Effect of Drying Temperature and Slice Thickness on Drying Kinetics, Quality Attributes, and Microstructure of Garcinia pedunculata Roxb

ABSTRACT

Garcinia pedunculata Roxb. is an underutilized fruit native to Northeast India that holds significant culinary and traditional medicinal importance. The fruits are mostly consumed in dried form. The present study investigates the effects of hot‐air drying temperature and slice thickness on drying kinetics, quality attributes, and microstructure of dried slices. Seven thin‐layer models were evaluated, among which the Midilli–Kucuk model showed the best fit for predicting the drying behavior. Effective moisture diffusivity increased with drying temperature, while activation energy ranged from 34.3 to 46.3 kJ mol ⁻¹ . Moderate drying temperature (50°C, 7 mm) resulted in greater preservation of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. FTIR confirmed the presence of characteristic functional groups, while SEM revealed temperature‐dependent microstructural changes, including shrinkage and pore formation during drying. The kinetic parameters derived in this study provide valuable engineering data for predicting drying time, optimizing operating conditions, process simulation, and designing energy‐efficient industrial drying systems for the processing of G. pedunculata .