Enhancing the Quality of Jerusalem Artichoke Chips: The Role of Pretreatment Optimization in Combined Vacuum Freezing and Hot Air Drying

The Jerusalem artichoke emerges as a novel non-food energy crop, with its tuber being a rich source of inulin—the most soluble dietary fiber. This study aims to investigate the impact of pretreatment on the quality of Jerusalem artichoke chips dried using a combined method of vacuum freezing and hot air drying. The evaluation criteria encompass color, hardness, rehydration ratio, and microstructure of the Jerusalem artichoke chips. Blanching duration, NaCl concentration, and maltodextrin concentration in the pretreatment phase are key research parameters. Through a single-factor analysis experiment, optimal levels for each parameter were determined, with 60s for blanching, 0.8% for NaCl concentration, and 10% for maltodextrin concentration. Meanwhile, response surface methodology (RSM) optimization identified the optimal conditions as 67s blanching time, 0.97% NaCl concentration, and 8.35% maltodextrin concentration. Under these conditions, the Jerusalem artichoke chips exhibited an L ^* value of 79.82 and a rehydration ratio of 3.92. The finished product manifested a loose, porous texture, a well-defined structure, and a crisp palate. The findings from this investigation provide substantive theoretical support for diversified processing approaches for Jerusalem artichoke.