LAUSR

Abstract Drying processes can be performed using different methods, with the selected technique and operational conditions directly influencing the quality of the final product. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the heating tray temperature (without temperature control, and controlled at 30, 40, and 50 °C) used for lyophilization of avocado (cv. Breda) pulp, considering the process drying time and the following quality parameters: dynamic equilibrium moisture, colorimetric indices, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity of the fruit pulp. Greater browning was observed for the dehydrated paste samples (82.48–139.15%), compared to the fresh fruit (64.27%). The best results for phenolic compounds (8 and 10.23 mg EAG/g db for slice and paste samples, respectively) and antioxidant activity (41.08 and 60.53% for slice and paste samples, respectively) were found for lyophilization with the heating tray temperature controlled at 50 °C. Control of the temperature was effective in decreasing the process drying time), achieving reductions of between 48 and 60% (about 12.5 and 6.3 h for slice and paste samples respectively), compared to lyophilization without temperature control.