Drying methods comparison of carrot (Daucus carota) using vacuum and oven based on l*a*b color and total carotene content
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 Lab* color of carrot. The research method was using a descriptive comparative approach. Carrot was obtained from the market and cleaned with running water and cut into thin slices approximately 2 mm and blanched using 90 deg C 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 deg C and the second was oven with 60 deg C, 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 and sent to the Faculty of Agricultural Technology to be analyzed for the carotene content. 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 color components between the drying methods. Oven drying produced carrots with higher L* values (mean = 63.43) compared to vacuum drying (mean = 60.73), indicating greater lightness retention (p < 0.0001) while vacuum drying produced carrots with higher a* values (mean = 19.05) and b* (mean = 23.60) values compared to oven drying (a* mean = 14.87- b* mean = 22.83), indicating enhanced red and yellow tones. The differences were highly significant for L* and a* (p < 0.0001) and significant for b* (p < 0.01). Vacuum dried carrot has higher total carotene (767.84 ug/g) than oven (703.83 ug/g). 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 and total carotene content post-harvest.

Keywords: Carrot, drying method, color, carotene, preservation, vacuum drying.

Topic: Animal Nutrition