Browsing by Person "Latif, Sajid"

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Catalase activity in hot-air dried mango as an indicator of heat exposure for rapid detection of heat stress
(2022) Mukhtar, Adnan; Latif, Sajid; Salvatierra-Rojas, Ana; Müller, Joachim
The growing market for dried fruits requires more attention to quality parameters. Mango and other tropical fruits are commonly dried at temperatures ranging from 40 °C to 80 °C. Convincing evidence suggests that the nutritional quality of dried fruits is best preserved when dried at low temperatures ≤50 °C, whereas increasing drying temperatures lead to the degradation of the most valuable nutrients inside the fruit. Currently, there is no system or direct measurement method that can assist in identifying the quality deterioration of dried fruits caused by excessive heat exposure during drying. From this perspective, the activity of the heat-sensitive enzyme ‘catalase’ was used for the first time to evaluate and compare mango slices dried at 40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C. Various methods, including direct and indirect flotation tests and spectrophotometric measurements, were explored to measure the residual catalase activity in the dried samples. Results showed that the spectrophotometry and indirect flotation test produced the best results, revealing a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the catalase activity of mango slices dried at 40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C, which the direct-dried mango flotation test failed to predict. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the potential applicability of catalase activity to indicate heat stress in dried mango slices processed at different temperatures.
Drying behavior and effect of drying temperatures on cyanide, bioactive compounds, and quality of dried cassava leaves
(2025) Chaiareekitwat, Sawittree; Nagle, Marcus; Mahayothee, Busarakorn; Khuwijitjaru, Pramote; Rungpichayapichet, Parika; Latif, Sajid; Müller, Joachim; Chaiareekitwat, Sawittree; Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Tropics and Subtropics Group, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (S.C.); (S.L.); Nagle, Marcus; Agricultural Research and Development Program, Central State University, Wilberforce, OH 45384, USA;; Mahayothee, Busarakorn; Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, Thailand; (P.K.); (P.R.); Khuwijitjaru, Pramote; Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, Thailand; (P.K.); (P.R.); Rungpichayapichet, Parika; Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom 73000, Thailand; (P.K.); (P.R.); Latif, Sajid; Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Tropics and Subtropics Group, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (S.C.); (S.L.); Müller, Joachim; Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Tropics and Subtropics Group, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; (S.C.); (S.L.); Medana, Claudio
In this study, the drying behavior and quality of the dried leaves of cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) of the ‘Rayong 5’ cultivar from Thailand were investigated. An increase in the drying temperature resulted in an increased drying rate and a reduction in drying time. The Page model provided the best fit for describing the drying characteristics of cassava leaves, with the entire drying process occurring in the falling rate period. The results showed that cyanide content was sensitive to high temperatures, with drying at 80 °C being the most effective method for toxin elimination. Prolonged drying periods lead to the degradation of vitamin C. Drying cassava leaves at 50–80 °C did not significantly affect β–carotene levels. However, lutein, chlorophyll– a , and chlorophyll– b were reduced after drying. The drying processes did not change the crude proteins content but increased the levels of histidine, alanine, and aspartic acid. In this study, high-temperature, short-time drying was identified as the optimal condition for detoxification, maintaining nutrients, and preserving the color of dried cassava leaves.