Does a Freeze-thaw Pretreatment Enhance the Quality of Dried Foods? A Meta-Analysis

Tri Yulni (English)
Wendianing Putri Luketsi Luketsi (Department of Agriculture and Food in Government of Trenggalek Regency)
Waqif Agusta (Research Center for Agroindustry, National Research and Innovation Agency, KST Soekarno Cibinong)
Ermi Erene Koeslulat (Research Center for Agroindustry, National Research and Innovation Agency, KST Soekarno Cibinong)
Spetriani Spetriani (Agricultural Product Technology Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, University of AlKhairaat Palu)
Lully Natharina Prasetyani (Research Center for Agroindustry, National Research and Innovation Agency, KST Soekarno Cibinong)

Jurnal Keteknikan Pertanian
Vol. 11 No. 2 (2023): Jurnal Keteknikan Pertanian

Based on the results of several studies, it's questionable if freeze-thaw pretreatment can improve dried product qualities. To answer this question, a meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effect of freeze-thaw pretreatment on the quality of dried products. This research aimed to assess the impact of freeze-thaw pretreatment on the quality of dried plant-based foods. The data was sourced from the Scopus database, and the selection criteria were based on the PRISMA protocol. All meta-analysis calculations were performed using OpenMEE Software. The results revealed that freeze-thaw pretreatment significantly affected ΔE, TFC, and TPC. However, freeze-thaw pretreatment does not significantly affect shrinkage and hardness. Based on what the analysis subgroup found, the best freezing temperatures are -20 °C and -196 °C because both temperatures favorably impact TFC and hardness. Moreover, freeze-thaw pretreatment is applicable to I-C, NIR, and HA-MV drying.