ABSTRACT: The demand for dried fruits and vegetables in various forms is increasing. For instance, the estimated world demand for dried, dehydrated, and freeze-dried fruits and vegetables increased from Rs 700 billion in 2001 to Rs 970 billion in 2011. Several preservation techniques can be applied to extend shelf life and add value to fruits and vegetables and one of them is drying and dehydration. Reported to be one of the oldest preservation technique, dehydration is continuously gaining significant interest among researchers, scientists, entrepreneurs and processors both in academia and industry. Dehydration is the process that involves the application of heat to remove moisture from the fresh fruit and vegetable product.
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