INTRODUCTION

Eggplant is a high source of minerals and vitamins, especially in phosphorus and

potassium. It contains a variety of phytochemicals such as phenolics and flavonoids
Akanitapichat et al., (2010). It is ranked amongst the higher ten vegetables in terms of
antioxidant amount because the phenolic constituents Cao et al., (1996).

Eggplants (Solanum melongena L.) are most popular vegetable worldwide and one of
an important market vegetable in Asian and Mediterranean countries [1,2]. Eggplants
were categorized in an excellent source of antioxidants, and top ranking for the
vegetables rich in phenolic compounds3. Purple pigmented eggplants appear to have
high antioxidant anthocyanins however, the peel represents only less than 5% of the
total fruit weight [4,5]. According to Nisha et al6 eggplants are versatile vegetables and
could be process at different techniques and cooking methods. In Malaysia, eggplants
normally serve as side dishes during major meals and usually, the eggplants will be
boiled for a few seconds or deep fried before being served. However, those processing
and heat-applied-cooking process (frying, boiling, steaming and roasting), has a
significant effect on the changes of chemical compositions such as bioactive
components, antioxidant activities and physical characteristics including color, texture,
sensory and flavour [7,8]. Antioxidant in fruits, vegetables and grains may decrease due
to the food processing operations [10,11]. Food processing may alter the antioxidant
activity in either positive or negative ways. Sun et al [12] has stated antioxidant activity
is correlated with the occurrence of phytochemicals including phenolics, flavonoids, and
anthocyanins in foods. Therefore, this study was aim to investigate the effect of fry, grill
and superheated steam method on the quality attributes of eggplant in terms of
physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity and overall acceptability. This would
provide some insights on the attribute and property of end products with regards to the
different cooking methods.

In Brazil, eggplants are mainly sold fresh and used after a heat treatment (cooked in
water, sautéed in oil, fried, and baked). In this country, the industrialization of eggplants
primarily occurs in small companies that process dry eggplant, fermented pickles,
canned with other vegetables, and pates (EMBRAPA, 2007). The eggplant fruit is a
good source of vitamins and minerals and its total nutritional value is similar to that of
tomato. The fresh weight of the fruit has the following composition: 96.3% water, 1.9%
fiber and 19% calories. In 100 g of raw eggplant are found the following minerals: 1.1
mg copper, 100 mg sulfur, 90 mg magnesium, 3.8 mg manganese, 2.7 mg zinc, 112.7
mg potassium, 38.2 mg sodium, 17 mg calcium, 0.4 mg iron and 29 mg phosphorus.
Vitamins are found in the following proportions: 5 μg vitamin A (retinol), 60 μg vitamin
B1 (thiamine), 45 μg vitamin B2 (riboflavin), 0.6 μg de vitamin B3 (niacin) and 1.2 mg
vitamin C (ascorbic acid) (EMBRAPA, 2007). In the early twentieth century it was
proved the effectiveness of eggplant for treating hypercholesterolemia, being an
Argentine researcher, Roffo in 1943 to show for the first time the efficacy of this plant in
animals and humans. Since then, the eggplant came to be indicated to treat
hypercholesterolemic patients by presenting a considerable content of total dietary fiber
(about 40% d.b.) (PEREZ; GERMANI, 2007). Guimarães et al. (2000) evaluated the
reduction of blood cholesterol levels after ingestion of a infusion prepared with eggplant
powder. The authors observed a significant reduction in LDL 176 Osidacz and
Ambrosio-Ugri Acta Scientiarum. Technology Maringá, v. 35, n. 1, p. 175-179, Jan.-
Mar., 2013 cholesterol and apoliprotein B in the blood, indicating a trend of reduction in
blood cholesterol. The dehydration of fruit and vegetables has been examined for a long
time, seeking drying methods that provide, besides low cost, products that keep their
sensory and nutritional characteristics. Conventional drying processes usually employed
can remove most of the free water of foodstuffs. However, the combination
temperature/drying time should be evaluated to avoid a great darkening of the product,
affecting an important sensory attribute (REIS et al., 2006). Therefore, different drying
processes combined with osmotic dehydration processes have gained great attention in
recent years.

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an important crop, representing a considerable

economic resource in many temperate and tropical regions, being cultivated and
consumed in many countries [1]. Although the eggplant is categorized as a fruit in
botanical terms, it if commonly considered as a vegetable [2]. Eggplant cultivars with
dark purple skin receive considerable more attention for being much richer in
anthocyanins, with much higher concentrations as compared to grapes, for example [3].
Due to the elevated oxygen radical scavenging capacity of the anthocyanins included in
fruit peel, eggplant is ranked as a member of the top ten vegetables [4,5]. The
eggplants are rich phenolic compounds, particularly hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA)
conjugates such as the antioxidant caffeoylquinic acids (CQA) and HCA-polyamine
amide. Owing to its richness in phenolic compounds, the eggplant has a very high
oxygen radical absorbance capacity [2,4]. Like it happens with many other plant foods,
its shelf life is very limited and it tends to lose its freshness quite rapidly. Nevertheless,
its shelf life can be increased using several preservation methods, such as modified
atmosphere, refrigeration, freezing or drying [10]. Drying is undoubtedly the oldest
method for food preservation, starting in ancient times when people learned the value of
the sun as heat source to dehydrate the food products, thus allowing to preserve them
for longer periods of time [11]. In Turkey, for example, eggplants are dried in the sun still
up to the present, hung up with a string. Although it is a very economic method, it has
many disadvantages and has been replaced by other drying methods, like hot air drying
[12]. The drying operation consist in the removal of a great majority of the water present
in the food, considerably decreasing the water activity, thus reducing the microbiological
activity and minimising the deterioration phenomena by enzymatic, physical or chemical
changes [13]. Besides preservation, other advantages of drying include a reduction in
weight and volume, which results in decreased packing, storage and transportation
costs and increased storability at room temperature [11]. At present, convective hot-air
drying is the most extensively used method of prolonging shelf life in postharvest
technology of agricultural products. It allows producing uniform, hygienic and attractively
3 coloured dried products in a short time, with advantages from the economic point of
view as well as improved quality of the final products [10]. Eggplant is one food product
for which dehydration can be used with great success. The dried eggplant has many
uses, being a key ingredient in several dehydrated food mixtures like soups and sauces.
Therefore, many efforts are being put towards drying processes and operating
conditions that allow obtaining products with a high quality [10]. Nevertheless, originates
structural and physical–chemical modifications that affect the final product quality.
These modifications include loss of beneficial nutrients and bioactive compounds, such
as vitamins, phenolic compounds, pigments, among other. Also colour and texture
alterations occur, much owing to the degradations of pigments and oxidations reactions
as well as shrinkage, which results from the loss of the internal water thus causing
stresses in the cellular structure, leading to changes in shape and dimensions. Changes
in shape, loss of volume and increased hardness cause in many cases a negative effect
on the consumer acceptance [10,11,14,15].

Dehydration is one of the oldest methods of preserving food. While our ancestors relied on
the sun to dry food, today we have commercial equipment and home appliances that can
remove bacteria-forming moisture. This process preserves food for much longer than its
ordinary shelf life.

Dehydrated foods can be a healthier alternative to many snacks, and you can add them
to salads, oatmeal, baked goods, and smoothies. Because they rehydrate in liquid,
they’re also easy to use in recipes. 

Dehydrated foods keep their nutritional value. As a lightweight, nutrient-dense option,

dehydrated foods are a go-to for hikers and travelers looking to save space.

Fruits and vegetables are highly seasonal, rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and
available in various times of the year. In the high season, high productivity makes the
selling price decrease a lot of products remain. Due to an oversupply in the market may
result in the spoilage of large quantities. Fruits and vegetables from organic or non-toxic
agricultural fields spoiled easily as it has not contained any preservation reagent. In
areas having high productivity of non-toxic fruits and vegetables, it is necessary to
consider how to make value of an oversupply in products. Various processing
techniques were applied to produce new products or preserve it for long use, while one
of the most used techniques for preserving fruits and vegetables is to dehydrate and
keep it as a dried products or powder, which are the key ingredients in dairy products,
cereals, dietetic foods formulated, etc. Dehydration is a preservation technique, in which
the moisture content is reduced to a level at which the product is physically or
chemically stable [1]. The major function of converting fruits and vegetables into powder
form is to maintain the stability and the functionality of the ingredients until they are
utilized [2].Various drying methods have been studied and applied by many researchers
[3]-[5] to produce dried fruit and vegetable [6], in addition to improving the products’
qualities. In tropical countries dehydration of fruits and vegetables by the sun drying
method is a popular practice due to its low cost. However, the quality of those products
such as color, texture or dying period may result in different quality in different dying
methods [7]. Recently, people are concerned more with their consumption quality and
food nutrition. Especially, dietary fiber consists of non-digestible carbohydrates and
lignin, which is intrinsic and intact in plants that have beneficial physiological effects in
humans [8]. Additionally, dietary fiber intake has been linked to the prevention and
management of many diseases [9]. It’s challenging to preserve fruits and vegetables
using dehydration techniques, while maintaining its nutrition value. Recently in Thailand,
the common used methods by farmers or communities for drying agricultural products
are sun drying because of its low cost and there is sunshine throughout the year. The
day time temperature may rise up to 45-55o C or to 60o C in closed containers. A part
from sun drying, the hot air oven drying is also wildly used in small enterprises or
factories as it is advantageous for quality control. Moreover, freeze drying has become
popular to use to produce health products as it remains higher nutrients when compared
to other drying methods. So, to evaluate the International Journal of GEOMATE, Dec.,
2016, Vol. 11, Issue 28, pp.2896-2900 Special Issue on Science, Engineering and
Environment, ISSN: 2186-2990, Japan International Journal of GEOMATE, Dec., 2016,
Vol. 11, Issue 28, pp.2896-2900 2897 effectiveness of drying methods on nutritional
value in fruit and vegetables, three methods of sun drying, hot air oven drying, and
freeze drying were employed to make dried of fruit and vegetable, and objective to
compare the dietary fiber contents in those fruits and vegetables. The results from this
study are expected to be of benefit to farmers, commercial application or anyone who
produces dried fruits or vegetables.

In the last decades, views on the role of foods in human health have changed markedly.
Even though a balanced diet remains a key objective to prevent deficiencies and
respective associated diseases, an excellent nutrition will aim at establishing the
optimum intake of as many food components as possible in order to promote health or
reduce the risk of diseases. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the major
challenge of the science of nutrition is, thus, to progress from improving life expectancy
to improving life quality.
The emergence of bioactive compounds with health benefits offers an excellent
opportunity for food scientists to depict their role in health.
Functional foods could be (i) usual foods with naturally occurring bioactive substances
(i.e., dietary fibre), (ii) foods supplemented with bioactive substances or microorganisms
(i.e., antioxidants, probiotics), and (iii) derived food ingredients introduced to
conventional foods (i.e., prebiotics). It may also be referred that functional foods are not
medicines, such as pills or capsules, but are consumed as part of a normal daily diet.
The effectiveness of functional foods in preventing diseases depends on preserving the
stability, bioactivity, and bioavailability of the active compounds [4]. Dehydration of
functional foods is an alternative to make food products with longer shelf life, and easier
transportation and manipulation. However, the process of drying food materials is
extremely complex, involving coupled transient mechanisms of heat and mass
transports accompanied by physical, chemical, structural, and phase change
transformation [6].

The concept behind food dehydration is simple: Remove moisture to make it last longer.
But why does that help? To understand this phenomenon, first you need to know a little
bit about why food spoils.

If you've ever let something get buried in your refrigerator, you've seen the effects of
one factor: microorganisms. Bacteria, yeasts and molds love to feed on your leftovers, a
process that eventually makes your food look and smell terrible. Another cause of
spoilage is the food's natural enzymes. They're what cause ripening in fruits and
vegetables, turning your bananas from a firm, yellow fruit to a squishy, brown one.
Reducing the moisture content in food hampers both of these processes, allowing it to
last up to a year when properly.

Longevity does have some costs, however. See, when fruits and vegetables are dried,
they lose as much as 80 and 90 percent of their moisture, respectively. That means that
they're much smaller and lighter — and much easier to eat. So while you might never
think of eating 20 fresh apricots in one sitting, it's very easy to do when they're
dehydrated.

Sustainability means meeting the needs and aspirations of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. As a result of
environmental imbalances caused by intensive production and massive use of
resources, to achieve food and agricultural sustainability, traditionally, the system has
been directed toward promotion of organic and local food, but this is not the only way,
as explained in [1]; there is other possibility that implies to continue the production
hegemony, emphasizing biotechnology and technological panaceas. Nowadays, the
sustainability of a product, a process or a system is assessed according to three
dimensions: environmental, social and economic. Sustainability challenges occur at all
stages in the food system from production through processing, distribution and retailing
to consumption and waste disposal. The development of a sustainable agri-food system
places responsibilities on both the natural and the social sciences [2]. While advances
in basic and strategic biological research have greatly expanded, the potential to
produce nutritious food in an efficient and environmentally sustainable manner, social
and economic factors will determine the uptake and value of this research as well as its
future direction [3]. Food processing can be defined as the set of operations which allow
manufacturing, preser‐ vation and distribution of food products from suitable raw
materials. The improvement of the food products is now directed toward ensuring
nutritional and specific functional benefits. Regarding the process improvement it is
directed to ensure the quality and safety of environment-friendly food products,
prepared by optimizing the resources used, minimally affecting or even enhancing their
nutritional and beneficial characteristics [4]. Sustainable food production stands at the
intersection of several growing needs. First, the needs of consumers for improved food
security and safety as well as more sophisticated needs. Second, the quest for
economic sustainability of food production based on cost reduction and increased
product differentiation. Third, the growing concern for reversing the over-exploitation of
natural resources, waste generation and the contribution to climate change [5].
Functional foods are foods that beneficially affect one or more target functions in the
body, beyond an adequate nutritional effects, in a way that is relevant to either an
improved state of health and wellbeing and/or reduction of risk of disease, and it is
consumed as a part of a normal food pattern (not a pill, a capsule or any form of dietary
supplement) [6]. Many diseases strictly related with diet and lifestyle concern the society
because of their prevalence. Functional foods can help prevent or improve these
diseases, thus contributing directly to public health. But the functional effect of a food or
food component depends on the active component gaining access to the functional
target site. Foods are mostly complex mixtures of macro- and micro-components
organized in a structure that can trap active compounds, modulating their release or
inhibiting their activity. The selection and development of both appropriate food matrix
and technological process, able to maintain the active molecular form until the time of
consumption is the key step for the success of a specific functional food [4]. This
chapter contains detailed information about some measurements taken by the food
industry to ensure the supply of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds to as
many 38 Sustainable Drying Technologies individuals as possible assuring the global
sustainability. More specifically, the contribution of some drying techniques employed in
the development of functional foods to increase the sustainability of the feeding
process, is discussed.

Vegetable production in the Philippines during the 1980s has been characterized by a
yearly fluctuation in the volume of production, a continuous decline in the area of land
utilized for cultivation and a continuous increase in the value of production. The national
average yield has been consistently low at about 5 t/ha. A number of biophysical, socio-
cultural and economic factors limit the production of vegetables. These include: a)
climatic conditions; b) soil conditions; c) availability of land for cultivation; d) per capita
consumption of vegetables; e) availability and cost of seeds; f) inadequate credit
facilities; g) poor post-handling and marketing practices; etc. Vegetable research in the
Philippines is carried out at the national, regional and provincial levels, in the areas of
crop improvement, crop protection, crop production and management, crop physiology,
seed production/technology, and crop processing and utilization. A number of
breakthroughs have already been made particularly in crop improvement but research
efforts in the future should focus into the following thrusts: off-season production;
production of processing types; production of temperate vegetables in the lowland; seed
production; and integrated pest management
With the nutritional value of squash and its availability in the community,
a study was conceptualized in order to process it in a different way where it
can be commercialized. The squash is cooked as vegetable dish and somehow
there are people particularly children do not like to eat it. The research
considered the squash as main ingredient in preparing tarts, cookies,
butterscotch and appearance. The products produced are based on the
standard recipe of tarts, cookies, butterscotch and “puto.” Boiled and mashed
squash was used in different quantities in the sample products. The tarts, cookies,
butterscotch and “puto” are well liked by children and old alike. The tarts, cookies
and butterscotch are baked while the “puto” is steamed. These are served as snacks or
as desserts that is why the researcher thought of using squash to prepare these food
products.The study was conducted for the purpose of determining the best
formula of the identified squash food products in terms of taste, color, aroma,
texture and appearance. It also determined the keeping quality of the products

Snacks are the most commonly used foods between meals and preferred by consumers
due to particular sensory attributes. Due to rapid increase in global demand of snacks,
nontraditional raw ingredients such as pumpkin, pineapple, mango, sweet potato, and
beetroot chips have attracted increasing attention. Pumpkins (cucurbita moschata) are
widely cultivated in the world as a preferred vegetable and consumers’ demand for
pumpkin ingredient has risen due to its high content of carotenoids, vitamins, flavonoids
and other bioactive compounds.