Comprehensive Analysis of Energy Efficiency, Volatile Aroma Profile, Physicochemical and Sensorial Attributes in Relation to Different Drying Conditions for Ripe Banana Fruits

ABSTRACT The declining availability of fossil fuels necessitates the development of sustainable and cost‐effective food processing techniques that utilize renewable energy sources. Phase change materials (PCMs), recognized for their high thermal energy storage capacity and ability to regulate temperature through latent heat exchange, are increasingly utilized across various industries. This study compares the energy consumption and quality attributes of solar tunnel drying (SOD), PCM‐based solar drying (PCMSD), and hot air oven drying (HAD) for the dehydration of whole ripe banana fruits, commonly known as banana figs. Among the drying methods evaluated, PCMSD demonstrated the highest energy efficiency, achieving a drying efficiency of 7.77% and a specific energy consumption of 2.90 × 10 4 kJ/kg. In comparison, SOD showed a drying efficiency of 7.17% with a specific energy consumption of 3.14 × 10 4 kJ/kg, while hot air drying recorded the lowest efficiency at 6.14% and the highest specific energy consumption of 3.60 × 10 4 kJ/kg. PCMSD resulted in significantly higher ( p < 0.05) phenolic (118.77 mg/100 g) and flavonoid (62.74 mg/100 g) content than HAD & SOD, while HAD resulted in a harder texture (795.52 g), followed by SOD (452.08 g) and PCMSD (324.63 g). Nevertheless, SOD showed higher springiness due to its slower drying rate, while PCMSD exhibited better resilience, preserving its internal structure. Key esters, such as n‐Butyl acetate and 9‐Octadecenoic acid (Z), were most concentrated in PCMSD (61.84%) and retained more aroma compounds, followed by SOD (60.4%) and HAD (54.38%). Regardless of the drying method, water activity varied with relative humidity, ranging from 0.45 at 10% RH to 0.86 at 95% RH, with an optimum relative humidity (55%–65%), resulting in better storage life and sensory attributes. Differences in physicochemical characteristics, texture, and volatile compounds among drying methods highlight the advantages of PCMSD in maintaining energy efficiency and product quality.