FARKLI KURUTMA TEKNİKLERİNİN HURMA ERİĞİ MEYVELERİNİN (DIOSPYROS LOTUS L.) BİYOAKTİF, RENK, ANTİBAKTERİYEL VE DUYUSAL ÖZELLİKLERİ ÜZERİNE ETKİSİ

In this study, the effects of hot air drying (HD), vacuum drying (VD) and freeze drying (FD) processes on total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid contents (TFC), antioxidant capacity (AC), color and antibacterial properties and sensory evaluation of date plum (DP) fruit were determined. Total phenolic, total flavonoid and antioxidant capacity values of dried and fresh samples were determined as 13.86-7.45 mg GAE/g, 7.17-4.09 mg CE/g and 86.60-54.98%, respectively. The highest inhibition levels against Bacillus cereus (24.50 mm) and Salmonella Typhimurium (24.67 mm), Yersinia enterocolitica (25.75 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (25.17 mm) were determined for HD and VD, respectively. In terms of sensory evaluation, FD drying was scored similarly to fresh samples (P>0.05). Overall, FD drying could be applied for longer preservation of DP fruits in terms of bioactive properties, color and sensory evaluation.