The effect of pre-drying methods on physicochemical, textural and sensory characteristics on puff dried Turkey breast meat

The effect pre-drying method in terms of freeze (FD), hot air (HD), and microwave drying (MD), moisture content of turkey breast meat (50%, 40%, 30%, w.b.) prior to puff drying and pre-drying conditions following pressure (15, 20, 25 Pa) for FD, air temperature (65, 70, 75 °C) for HD and power (180, 360, 540 W) for MD was evaluated on puff dried turkey breast meat. Samples that dried with different pre-drying and puff drying were examined physically (moisture content, water activity, bulk density and color properties), chemically (salt, fat, protein and TBARS), texturally (crispness, expansion and rehydration ratio, macro and micro structure, mean pore diameter) sensorially (color, puffing degree, hardness, elasticity, crispness, taste, overall impression). The freeze pre-drying method exhibited smaller porous structure and resulted in low moisture content, water activity, bulk density, high expansion and rehydration ratio after puff drying. The hot air pre-dried samples had larger pore diameters and high elasticity because of higher moisture content and water activity values. The mean pore diameter of the microwave pre-dried products did not affect the rehydration and expansion ratio. Generally, the results showed that freeze pre-drying till 50% moisture content at 20 Pa pressure was the most suitable method.