FACTORS AFFECTING THE DRYING PROCESS OF MELON PULP

This study aims to evaluate the key factors affecting the drying process of melon pulp and to compare the technological efficiency of infrared (IR) and IR-convective drying methods. In the experiment, pulp samples of the Olakhamma and Gulyabi Khorezm melon varieties were pretreated with IR radiation in a pulsed mode and dried at temperatures of 60–70 °C. During drying, changes in moisture content over time were determined by analytical weighing at 30-minute intervals, and drying curves were constructed based on the experimental data. The results showed that, after 180 minutes of IR drying, the moisture content decreased to 44–60% in the Olakhamma variety and to 32–40% in the Gulyabi Khorezm variety. However, the drying intensity was relatively low, and considerable dispersion was observed in the final moisture values. The combination of preliminary IR treatment and IR-convective drying reduced the residual moisture content to 15–20% and increased drying efficiency. Therefore, preliminary IR treatment combined with IR-convective drying can be considered a technologically effective solution for drying melon pulp.

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