Drying Methods Comparison of Carrot (Daucus carota) using Vacuum and Oven Based on L*a*b Color Aliefianda Ilhamdani Alzi Pratama1, Muhammad Halim Natsir2, Osfar Sjofjan2, Feri Eko Hermanto2, Yuli Frita Nuningtyas2*
1 Student of Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang 65145, Indonesia
2 Lecturer of Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang 65145, Indonesia
fritanuningtyas[at]ub.ac.id
Abstract
This study was conducted to compare the effects of different drying methods on the L,a,b color of carrot. The research method was using a descriptive comparative approach. Carrot was bought and cleaned with running water and cut into thin slices approximately 2 mm and blanched using 90 Celsius water for 3 minutes then transferred into an ice cold water to stop the cooking method. Carrot then divided into two groups each for their corresponding drying method, the first group was vacuum dryer with 60 Celsius and the second was oven with 60 Celsius, both methods were used until the sliced carrot became crisp and can be grinded into powder. Carrot powder then examined using CIELAB to determine the value of each color. Data obtained were then analyzed using t-test to determine the significance of drying methods on each color value. The results showed a significant difference in all three color components between the drying methods. Oven drying produced carrots with higher L values (mean equal 63.43) compared to vacuum drying (mean equal 60.73), indicating greater lightness retention (p less than 0.001) while vacuum drying produced carrots with higher a values (mean equal 19.05) and b (mean equal 23.60) values compared to oven drying (a mean equal 14.87 and b mean equal 22.83), indicating enhanced red and yellow tones. The differences were highly significant for a (p less than 0.001) and significant for b (p less than 0.01). These finding suggests that oven drying better preserves lightness while vacuum drying better preserves the visual quality of carrots, making it a preferable method to maintain color post harvest.
