Food Technology

Cuneyt Dincer has completed his PhD from Akdeniz University. He is the Assistant Director of Akdeniz University, Food Safety and Agricultural Research Center. He has published more than 14 papers in reputed journals.

In the present study, grape, pomegranate and black carrot juices were concentrated to 65 °Bx from initial concentrations of 15.93, 13.91 and 11.23°Bx respectively. The concentration kinetics of the juices were investigated using a rotary vacuum evaporator at 80°C, a microwave vacuum evaporator at 180 W and 300 W and osmotic distillation (OD) at room temperature. Experimental data were compared according to three statistical parameters: the correlation coefficient (R2) reduced chi-squared (χ2) value and root mean-square error (RMSE), with values predicted by 13 models. The Midilli model exhibited a better fit for the concentration kinetics (R2≥0.9990; χ2≤0.4588; RMSE≤0.5350) than the other models, in general. This model was followed by the logarithmic, Page and two-term exponential models. Logarithmic model exhibited slightly better fit for the thermal concentration method than Midilli model. The quantities of energy consumed during the various concentration processes were also compared. The lowest energy consumption (1.334-1.540 kWh) was determined for the OD technique.