Vol. 11, Special Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
Abhishek Chandra and Prabhat Kumar Nema

Abstract:
Papaya is a well-liked tropical fruit with a distinctive aroma, flavour, and high nutritional qualities. A common preservation method used to decrease post-harvest losses and lengthen shelf life is drying. Traditional convective drying, however, takes a long time and has an immediate impact on the finished product's quality. The shortcomings of popular papaya drying procedures are discussed, along with potential ways to enhance the quality of dried papaya by combining several drying techniques. Color, porosity, shrinkage, phytochemicals, antioxidant capacity, carbohydrates, proteins, volatile compounds, and sensory characteristics are among the quality criteria being investigated. Drying, in general, causes all analyzed parameters to decrease. However, an innovative or combination technology must guarantee high-quality dried papaya. This review also emphasises the most current developments in papaya fruit drying techniques that preserve the fruit's nutritional value and functionality. Furthermore, to explain the key advantages of a few recently developed drying processes, with an emphasis on hybrid drying methods that combine microwave and ultrasonic assistance to provide high-quality drying with exceptional efficiency for papaya fruit.