Process Optimization of Chanterelle ( Cantharellus cibarius) Mushrooms Vacuum Drying.

Vacuum drying of chanterelle ( Cantharellus cibarius) mushrooms was optimized in order to obtain high-quality dried product with desirable physicochemical characteristics. Five level, two variables, central composite rotatable design (CCRD) with response surface methodology (RSM) was used for process optimization. Drying temperature (46-74C) and vacuum pressure (2-58 kPa) were investigated as independent variables. Experimentally obtained values of investigated responses were fitted to a second-order polynomial model, and multiple regression analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to determine fitness of the model and optimal conditions. Optimized conditions for minimized water activity and maximized rehydratation power of vacuum dried of chanterelle mushrooms were temperature of 50C and vacuum pressure of 10 kPa, while predicted values of a_w and rehydratation power on that experimental point were 0.685 and 68.74%, respectively. On the other hand, optimized conditions for maximized total phenolic content (TP) was temperature of 55C and vacuum pressure of 10 kPa. Practical Applications Currently, there is growing interest for developing economically feasible and environmentally friendly processes for conservation of fresh fruits, vegetables and mushrooms. Shelf-life of these products is reduced due to high moisture content in samples, which are susceptible to microbial contamination. Vacuum drying process could be successfully developed for that manner due to various advantages such as increased heat and mass transfer and drying in atmosphere with reduced oxygen concentration, providing prompt drying and preservation of high value bioactive compounds. Optimizing the chanterelle vacuum drying process in terms of desirable physico-chemical properties (water activity, rehydratation power, total color change, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity) provides high-quality products with prolonged shelf-life. These results also could be further used for scale-up calculation, which would further allow industrial scale vacuum drying of chanterelle mushrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]