EVALUATION OF THE MICROWAVE DEHYDRATION TIME OF YACON POTATOES

Abstract

Research on the yacón potato has increased interest in it, since it has prebiotic potential and antioxidant activity, improves the immune system and reduces blood glucose. Developing foods that have a longer shelf life, such as dehydrated items, is fundamental to increase availability throughout the year. The objective of this study was therefore to evaluate the dehydration time of yacón potato chips in a microwave oven. To this end, the potatoes were cleaned and sliced and subjected to microwave dehydration from 30 to 300 seconds, in addition to a comparison in a dehydrator at 55 ºC. After a time of 210 seconds in the microwave, the chips were found to have constant weight, while 2 hours were needed in the dehydrator, demonstrating that the dehydration in the microwave is a faster and more agile process. This result is important because it presents high efficiency due to the reduced time of exposure to heat, which is expected to reduce the energy costs on an industrial scale, in addition to better maintaining the nutrients and the sensorial properties.