Mathematical Modeling and Otimization of Drying Kinetic of Quince (Cydonia olonga) Fruit Slices

Drying is one of the oldest methods for preservation of agricultural products and it is aimed and tried to effectively increase the drying rate by heat and humidity transfer. In this study, drying process for quince fruit slices with 3, 5 and 7 mm thickness at 60–80°C to reach a maximum of diffusion effects (Deff) and decrease drying time using response surface methodology have been optimised. The results showed that Midli model had minimum amounts of RMSE, MRPD and W2 and a maximum of R2. Optimization of drying process indicated that the application of 71°C for 7mm thickness had the most diffusion effect with least drying time. Hot air drying method removes the moisture from the fruit and generally is suitable for drying quince fruit.