The Effect of Gliding Arc Discharge Low-Temperature Plasma Pretreatment on Blueberry Drying
Pengpeng Yu, Wenhui Zhu, Yu Qiao, Xiaonan Yang, Lixin Ma, Yankai Cai, Jianrong Cai
Abstract
This study evaluates the effects of gliding arc discharge low-temperature plasma (GAD-LTP) pretreatment on the drying performance and quality attributes of blueberries. Fresh blueberries were pretreated under varying conditions-treatment durations of 6 s, 12 s, and 18 s and power levels of 300 W, 600 W, and 900 W-prior to convective hot air drying at 65 °C. Results demonstrate that plasma pretreatment significantly reduced drying time, with an 18 s treatment at 900 W reducing drying time by 31.25%. Moisture diffusion coefficients increased with both treatment duration and power. Under optimal conditions, total phenolic content improved by up to 33.47%, while anthocyanin retention initially declined then recovered, reaching a 7.9% increase over the control. However, plasma-treated samples exhibited darker color due to surface etching and oxidation. Rehydration capacity improved, with a maximum enhancement of 27.94%. Texture analysis indicated increased hardness and decreased adhesiveness and chewiness in treated samples. Overall, GAD-LTP pretreatment enhances drying efficiency and preserves bioactive compounds in dried blueberries, offering a scalable approach for industrial application.