Effect of Drying Methods on the Organoleptic Properties and Water Activity of Mango Fruit Leather

Reno Irwanto (Universitas Negeri Jakarta)
Mulyati Mulyati (Universitas Negeri Jakarta)
Bimo Kuncoro Jati (Universitas Negeri Jakarta)
Jaka Marsita (Universitas Negeri Jakarta)
Nada Fatin (Universitas Negeri Jakarta)
Fatihah Fathinah Angjanina (Universitas Negeri Jakarta)

International Journal of Engineering, Science and Information Technology
Vol 6, No 2 (2026)

Drying conditions can affect both consumer acceptance and water activity (aw), which influences fruit leather stability. This study compared direct sun drying, convection oven drying, and food dehydrator drying for Indramayu mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit leather. A single-factor Completely Randomized Design was applied using three independent production replicates. Mango puree was dried under direct sunlight at approximately 35 °C for 8 h per day, in a convection oven at 50 °C for 9 h, or in a food dehydrator at 55 °C for 8 h. Sensory acceptance of color, aroma, texture, taste, and overall liking was evaluated by 48 untrained panelists using a 4-point hedonic scale. Water activity was measured in triplicate at 25 °C. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Duncan’s multiple range test at ? = 0.05. The drying method significantly affected color (F(2,141) = 18.29, p 0.001, ?² = 0.206) and texture (F(2,141) = 15.48, p 0.001, ?² = 0.180), whereas aroma, taste, and overall acceptability did not differ significantly among treatments. The food dehydrator produced the highest scores for color and texture, while oven drying yielded the highest numerical taste score. Water activity also differed significantly among drying methods (p 0.001), with sun drying producing the lowest value (0.520 ± 0.010). Overall, forced-air dehydration favored sensory quality, particularly color and texture, whereas sun drying achieved the lowest aw. These findings indicate that drying-method selection should be based on the intended balance between sensory quality and product stability