REDUCTION OF DRYING TIME FOR PEPPERONI BY VACUUM-DRYING

Commercial pepperoni was dried under vacuum (100 kPa) at three tempera tures (17 degrees, 19 degrees, and 22 degrees C) and matching controls were dried under commercial conditions. Vacuum-dried pepperoni achiev ed a moisture: protein (M:P) ratio of 1.6:1 after 9 to 12 days drying, compared to 18 days for the control. Overall drying time was reduced approximate to 30%. Among temperature treatments, 17 degrees C treatme nt had more weight loss and darker color (P < 0.05) than others. Weigh t loss and Kramer shear force were higher (P < 0.05) for vacuum-dried pepperoni, whereas Hunter a and b values tended to be higher for the c ontrol throughout the drying period.