Food Chemistry 333 (2020) 127502

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Food Chemistry
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem

Effect of ethanol pretreatment on melon convective drying T

a b
Renata Masur Carneiro da Cunha , Shirley Clyde Rupert Brandão ,
Rafael Augusto Batista de Medeirosa, Edvaldo Vieira da Silva Júniora,
⁎
João Henrique Fernandes da Silvab, Patrícia Moreira Azoubelb,
a
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Nutrição, Av. Moraes Rego, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE 50670-901, Brazil
b
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Av. Prof. Arthur de Sá, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife-PE 50740-521, Brazil

A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T

Keywords: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of ethanol, ultrasound and/or vacuum as a
Drying pretreatment to melon drying. Eight types of pretreatments were performed in which samples were immersed in
Ethanol ethanol solutions with different concentrations (50% and 100%) using four treatment conditions: immersion,
Quality immersion with ultrasound (US), with vacuum (VC) and with ultrasound and vacuum (USVC). Drying was
Kinetics
performed at 60 °C and five different semi-theoretical drying mathematical models were examined to char-
Ultrasound
Vacuum
acterize the drying curves, and quality analyses were carried out. The condition that obtained the lower drying
time was using the US pretreatment in 100% ethanol solution. Drying caused a diminution of bioactive com-
pounds and influenced color parameters. However, the samples immersed in 50% ethanol solution and dried
obtained minor losses of total phenolics, total carotenoids, and ascorbic acid contents.

1. Introduction refrigeration, respectively, making its marketing considerably difficult

The presence of fruit and vegetables in healthy diets represents a
very important component. There is a direct relationship between their
intake and a lower incidence of diseases. These effects are related to
bioactive compounds present in these foods. However, due to intense
biochemical and microbiological changes they experience, efforts have
been undertaken in the search for processes that ensure greater shelf
life, without reducing the concentration and activity of these phyto-
chemicals on human health (Chong et al., 2013).
Brazil is a bigger melon producer in the world, where the Inodorus
group (Yellow type) is mainly cultivated. However, there has been an
increase in demand for melons from the Cantalupensis Group
(EMBRAPA 2017). Cantaloupe melon is considered a source of β-car-
otene, which contributes to the orange coloration of the pulp (Özkan
and Bilek, 2014). Esferas et al. (2018) reported that orange pulp melons
compared to other groups (yellow, green or white pulp) present β-
carotene as the main carotenoid, followed by β-cryptoxanthin and lu-
tein. Although cantaloupe melon fruit does not rank particularly high in
phenolic content (Fu et al., 2011), it contains benzoic, vanillic, and
trans-cinnamic acids (Kolayli et al., 2010), with reported health bene-
fits (Williamson and Manach, 2005).
The durability of the melon is considered short, with post-harvest
life not more than one or two weeks in ambient conditions or under
(Almeida et al., 2001).
Drying is a process widely used to increase the shelf life through the
reduction of moisture, and has many advantages, such as: higher con-
centration of nutrients due to loss of water; higher stability at room
temperature; inhibition of the action of microorganisms; protection
against enzymatic and oxidative degradation; ease of transportation
and storage; reduction of post-harvest losses to obtain new forms of
consumption and to reduce transportation and storage costs (Celestino,
2010). However, the drying process of some materials is a challenge for
researchers, because of its heat-sensitive nature and the diversity in the
properties of materials, requiring deeper studies. Conventional drying
methods using hot air for a long interval of time are detrimental to the
physicochemical and nutritional quality of the final product, but also
generate high energy expenditure (Rojas & Augusto, 2018a; Wang,
Xiao, Ye, Wang, & Raghavan, 2019).
In order to optimize the drying process, one of the ways to increase
the rate of mass transfer occurs through the use of pretreatments such
as application of ultrasound and osmotic dehydration (Wang, Xiao,
et al., 2019; Romero and Yépez, 2015; Nuñez-Mancilla, Pérez-Won,
Uribe, Vega-Gálvez, & Scala, 2013).
In the last years, many studies on the use of ultrasound as a drying
pretreatment have been published. (Fernandes, Gallão, & Rodrigues,
2008) evaluated the effect of osmotic dehydration and ultrasound

⁎
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: patricia.azoubel@ufpe.br (P.M. Azoubel).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127502
Received 13 April 2020; Received in revised form 12 June 2020; Accepted 3 July 2020
Available online 11 July 2020
0308-8146/ © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
R.M.C. da Cunha, et al. Food Chemistry 333 (2020) 127502

pretreatments on melon. They reported changes on melon cell structure Table 1

induced by ultrasound. However, different from osmotic dehydration, Pretreatment conditions.
no cell breakdown was observed, and microscopic channels appeared in Condition Pretreatment
the cell structure, what could be responsible for the increase on water
diffusivity. Silva et al. (2016), studying the use of ultrasound and/or E100 Immersion in 100% ethanol solution
E100US Immersion in 100% ethanol solution associated with ultrasound
vacuum pretreatments with sucrose solutions and distilled water on
E100VC Immersion in 100% ethanol solution associated with vacuum
drying efficacy of melon slices observed that there was a reduction of E100USVC Immersion in 100% ethanol solution associated with ultrasound
the drying time when samples were pretreated. The dried melon pre- and vacuum
treated using ultrasound and vacuum combined obtained lower total E50 Immersion in 50% ethanol solution
carotenoids loss, softer texture, better color preservation, and good E50US Immersion in 50% ethanol solution associated with ultrasound
E50VC Immersion in 50% ethanol solution associated with vacuum
acceptance in the semsory evaluation. However, Rojas et al. (2020)
E50USVC Immersion in 50% ethanol solution associated with ultrasound and
observed that there is still the need to understand, describe and im- vacuum
prove the mechanisms about using ultrasound, which is dependent also
on the processing conditions used. The authors outlined the importance
to estimate its influence on food constituents in order to resolve if it is 2. Material and methods
an advantage to use it.
Another alternative still little explored is the utilization of ethanol 2.1. Raw material
solution as a pretreatment to convective drying. The few papers found
reported an increase in the drying rate in this case (Rojas & Augusto, Cantaloupe melons (Cucumis melo), purchased on the local market
2018a, 2018b), but there is a lack of information about quality para- (Recife, Brazil), were used. The tests were performed with melons
meters of ethanol pretreated dried fruits and vegetables. which the soluble solids content ranged from 10 to 12°Brix (measured
The combination of ethanol and ultrasound as a pretreatment to using a refractometer). The average initial moisture content was
convective drying could be a promising technique. The alcohol is 9.61 ± 0.08 kg water/kg dry matter.
harmless to humans and left no residue after drying. It has the potential The melon was received, selected, washed and sanitized in chlori-
to serve as a substitute for water as an ultrasound propagation medium nated solution to 100 µ L/L for 20 min. Then the shell was removed
to greatly improve the drying process and the quality of foodstuff end- manually using stainless steel knives, and the pulp was separated from
product (Feng et al., 2019). To the best of our knowledge, very few the seeds and cut in slices (5.0 × 3.0 cm) of 0.5 cm thick, using cutters.
papers reported the combined use as a pretreatment. One of the studies
had the objective to incorporate iron in apple samples without evalu-
2.2. Pretreatment
ating drying operation (Rojas et al., 2019). The second one (Rojas &
Augusto, 2018a) used the combined pretreatment before infrared
The tests were performed with absolute ethanol (99.5%), as re-
drying of potato, which has different mechanisms from convective
ported by Silva et al. (2018). The samples were subjected to different
drying. The same for a third study (Feng et al., 2019), which used al-
pretreatments, as shown in Table 1. For each test, the ethanol solution
cohol-ultrasound pretreatment to improve the catalytic infrared drying
(50% and 100%) was placed in beakers and three samples slices were
of garlic slices. And the forth study (Rojas et al., 2020), which was
immersed in this solution. All trials had a duration of 10 min and it was
recently published, described the combined use of ethanol and ultra-
used the ratio 0.08:1 (sample weight/volume of the ethanol solution),
sound as a pretreatment to pumpkin convective drying, evaluating its
according to Rojas et al. (2018a).
influence on the kinetics, rehydration, energy consumption and car-
For the ultrasonic treatment, the beaker containing the sample and
otenoid content. Results shown that a reduction in both drying time and
solution was placed in an ultrasonic bath (Unique, USC-2580A model,
energy consumption when the combined pretreatment was performed,
Brazil) maintained at 30 °C. The ultrasound frequency used was 25 kHz
as well as enhanced rehydration properties and better carotenoid pre-
(154 W), as found in the literature for the melon (Fernandes and
servation. Also, studies on the combined use of ethanol and vacuum are
Rodrigues, 2008). For processing conditions that used a vacuum, melon
also rare. There is only one paper published (Wang, Feng, et al., 2019),
samples were conditioned in a cylindrical flask connected to a vacuum
where it was used for infrared drying pretreatment of scallion. Also, no
pump (Marconi, model MA-2057, Brazil) and placed in the ultrasonic
paper has been published about the combination of ethanol, ultrasound
bath, where the temperature maintained at 30 °C (Azoubel, Baima,
and vacuum. Thus, there are new perspectives about this innovative
Amorim, & Oliveira, 2011). The vacuum was supplied with 24 L/min
method in relation to drying kinetics and quality of the samples. Studies
pump speed and the vacuum degree was maintained between 0.02 and
with different food matrix, different drying conditions are needed for a
0.03 MPa. In experiments with the use of both vacuum and ultrasound,
better understand of the process and its influence on quality para-
it was assembled a system adapted from Başlar et al. (2014).
meters. And, as outlined by Rojas et al. (2020), the great importance of
After pretreatment, sample moisture content changed to:
convective drying to industry demonstrate the need to evaluate it.
8.70 ± 0.03 kg water/kg dry matter (E100); 11.55 ± 0.02 kg water/
The use of ethanol as a drying pretreatment and its influence on
kg dry matter (E50); 9.12 ± 0.03 kg water/kg dry matter (E100US);
dried melon quality were never studied before. Thus, the present study
10.31 ± 0.01 kg water/kg dry matter (E50US); 8.85 ± 0.03 kg
aimed to evaluate the effect of the use of ethanol solutions in different
water/kg dry matter (E100VC); 11.46 ± 0.02 kg water/kg dry matter
concentrations as pretreatment, associated or not to the use of ultra-
(E50VC); 9.42 ± 0.03 kg water/kg dry matter (E100USVC);
sound and vacuum pulse, in the drying of the melon, and to verify the
12.41 ± 0.04 kg water/kg dry matter (E50USVC).
influence of the pretreatment in some quality parameters, like ascorbic
acid content, total phenolics content, total carotenoids content, and
color. The results found will be important for understanding drying 2.3. Drying
processes, and beneficial for designing appropriate drying and pre-
treatment conditions. The convective drying of melon (approximately 45 g per batch)
occurred at a temperature of 60 °C and an air velocity of 2 m/s, using a
fixed bed dryer (Sulab, Brazil) (Medeiros et al., 2016). Melon samples
were weighed on a semi-analytical scale in 15 min intervals until the
condition of equilibrium was reached.
In order to predict the drying kinetics of melon, it is important to

2
R.M.C. da Cunha, et al. Food Chemistry 333 (2020) 127502

Table 2 (2002), which is based on the reduction of 2,6-dichlorophenol in-

Thin layer models used for mathematical of drying of melon.
Model
Single exponential
Henderson and Pabis
Logarithmic
Two Terms
Wang and Singh
accurately model its drying behavior. Therefore, in the present study,
five semi-theoretical mathematical models were fitted to the experi-
mental data (Table 2), where a, b, c, k, and w, are the empirical con-
stants in drying models; t is the drying time, min, The moisture contents
at each time interval were calculated from both weight loss data and
dry solid weight of the samples. The moisture content data was con-
verted to moisture ratio (MR), which is a dimensionless expression and
fitted as a function of drying time. The dimensionless MR of melon
during the drying experiments was written in the following form (Eq.1).
X¯ − Xe
MR =
X0 − Xe
where X̄ is the average moisture content at time t, kg H2O/kg dry
matter; Xe is the equilibrium moisture content, kg H2O/kg dry matter;
Xo is the initial moisture content, kg H2O/kg dry matter.
The modeling was characterized by the mean relative deviation
module E (Eq. (2)) and the determination coefficient R2.
N and Tukey test at the 95% confidence level (p < 0.05) for comparison
1 Ve − Vp
E (%) =
N
∑ Ve
·100
i=1
where N is the number of experimental data, Ve is the experimental
value and Vp is the calculated value. Values of E (%) less than or equal
to 10% are considered to fit the experimental data satisfactorily
(Lomauro et al., 1985).
dophenol by ascorbic acid. The results were expressed in dry basis (mg
Equation ascorbic acid/100 g of dry matter).
The total phenolic content of the extracts was measured based on
MR = exp(- kt ) Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, as described by Singleton et al. (1999). The
MR = αexp(- kt ) reaction mixture contained: 0.5 mL of phenolic extract, 2.5 mL Fo-
MR = αexp(- kt ) + c
lin–Ciocalteu (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany) reagent and 2 mL of sodium
MR = αexp(- kt ) + b exp(- wt )
carbonate 4 g/100 g. The mixture was then left in the dark for 2 h at
MR = 1 + at + bt 2
room temperature. The absorbance of the sample was read at 760 nm
using aqueous Gallic acid (5–100 µg/mL) as a standard. The results
were expressed in mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g sample (dry
basis).
The total carotenoid content was quantified based on Rodriguez-
Amaya (1999). In brief, there was an acetone extraction, followed by a
separation and a dilution in petroleum ether, finally measuring absor-
bance at 470 nm. Some precautions against pigment degradation or
alteration were taken, such as protection from light and high tem-
peratures, and the use of a short analysis time. The results were ex-
pressed in μg of carotenoids/g of dry matter.
Samples color was evaluated using a calibrated colorimeter
(Minolta, model CR400, Japan). The reflectance instruments de-
(1) termined three color parameters: luminosity to darkness (L*) (100 to 0);
red (+a*) to green (- a*); and yellow (+b*) to blue (- b*).
2.5. Statistics analysis
The data obtained were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA)
between the means. All experimental analyses and drying experiments
(2) were performed at least in triplicate.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Drying

2.4. Quality parameters The different pretreatments resulted in differences in the drying
rates. From Fig. 1, it is possible to observe that when drying was per-
Some quality parameters were evaluated in triplicate for fresh and formed with the samples after immersion in 100% ethanol solution, a
processed samples: moisture content, ascorbic acid content, total phe- higher drying rate was obtained when compared to control drying
nolics content, total carotenoids content, and color. (without pretreatment). Those untreated samples took the longest time
Moisture content was determined by the gravimetric method with to reach the constant weight or to reach the equilibrium condition.
drying in an oven at 105 °C for 24 h (AOAC, 2002). The results were Villamiel et al. (2017) reported that, in conventional drying, the ve-
expressed in percentage (%). getable tissue continues to present turgid cells with cell walls set and
The ascorbic acid content was determined according to AOAC organized, which hinders the water diffusivity. In addition, when

(a) 10 (b) 14

12
8
X (kg water/kg dry mass)

X (kg water/kg dry mass)

10

6
8

6
4

2
2

0 0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
t (min) t (min)

Fig. 1. Moisture (X) as a function of time for the drying process of melon with and without pre-treatment in 100 g/100 g (a) and 50 g/100 g (b) ethanol solutions: (■)
control, (●) E100, (▾) E100VC, (▲) E100US, and E100USVC (►).

3
R.M.C. da Cunha, et al. Food Chemistry 333 (2020) 127502

samples were submitted to the ultrasonic pretreatment, differences Table 4

were observed from control case, which could be attributed to the al- Obtained parameters, coefficients of determination (R2) and deviation module
teration of the boundary layer between the melon and the liquid (E) of the mathematical models fitted to the melon drying kinetic curves.
medium and to the formation of microscopic channels caused by its Conditions Parameters Models
application, due to the phenomena of cavitation and the sponge effect.
Wang et al. (2018) also reported enhancement in carrot drying rate due TT LOG SGE HP WS
the microstructure changes and release of bound water induced by ul-
Control a −0.0541 0.6855 – 1.0100 −0.0204
trasound treatment. k 1.6790 1.9138 0.0260 0.0263 –
When melon samples were immersed in ethanol using vacuum, the b 1.0541 – – – 0.0001
pressure reduction leads to the expansion and occlusion of gases in the w 0.2740 – – – –
c – 0.3145 – – –
material pores. As the pressure is restored, the pores can be filled with
R2 0.9988 0.5973 0.9978 0.9980 0.9953
the solution, thereby increasing mass transfer, as reported by Ahmed E (%) 6.52 90.51 8.44 8.21 9.83
et al. (2016). The desiccant properties of ethanol should also be taken E100 a 0.5791 1.0545 – 1.0044 −0.0289
into consideration, which probably contributed to the drying efficiency. k 0.0405 0.0350 0.0404 0.0405 –
As reported by Rojas & Augusto, 2018b, ethanol has a strong hygro- b 0.4253 – – – 0.0002
w 0.0405 – – – –
scopic property, and the pretreatment using this solvent could result in
c – −0.0592 – – –
faster drying. R2 0.9962 0.9988 0.9962 0.9962 0.9905
When drying was performed using the pretreatment with a 50% E (%) 40.62 3.65 41.03 40.62 35.78
ethanol solution, the same behavior was observed, and the control E100US a 0.3357 −10.7266 – 1.0010 −0.0425
k 0.0518 −0.0019 0.0586 0.0590 –
samples exhibited longer drying time to reach the equilibrium situation
b 0.6743 – – – 0.0005
(Fig. 1b). However, when the pretreatments were performed using a w 0.0590 – – – –
higher concentration of ethanol, the drying time has decreased to the c – 11.6116 – – –
same drying condition. This fact was due to an increase in the perme- R2 0.9923 0.9169 0.9922 0.9923 0.9996
ability of the cell membrane since some solutes are extracted by E (%) 55.22 129.53 55.91 55.22 5.56
E100VC a 0.5716 1.1531 – 1.0107 −0.0387
ethanol. In addition, as detailed by Silva et al. (2018) and Rashid and
k 0.0518 0.0385 0.0514 0.0518 –
Ahmed (2018), ethanol has a greater surface tension gradient, pro- b 0.4391 – – – 0.0004
moting the Marangoni flow. This effect extracts the water from within w 0.0518 – – – –
the sample, thus reducing the drying time. c – −0.1516 – – –
R2 0.9935 0.9997 0.9932 0.9935 0.9998
When melons were dried until a final moisture content lower than
E (%) 21.91 3.81 22.25 21.91 1.99
0.25 kg H2O/kg dry mass (20% wet basis), which is a value within the E100USVC a 0.5687 1.1727 – 1.0117 −0.0378
range allowed by the Brazilian legislation (BRASIL, 2001) to this kind of k 0.0506 0.0366 0.0501 0.0506 –
product, it can be also confirmed that the samples submitted the pre- b 0.4430 – – – 0.0004
treatments resulted in smaller processing times (Table 3). The samples w 0.0506 – – – –
c – −0.1710 – – –
immersed in 100% ethanol solution presented lower drying times when
R2 0.9926 0.9996 0.9923 0.9926 0.9999
compared to the same processing condition using the lower ethanol E (%) 21.84 3.90 22.20 21.84 1.20
concentration, showing that its concentration has a direct influence on E50 a 0.5026 1.0624 – 1.0053 −0.0272
the process of melon dehydration. In this work, it was possible to verify k 0.0336 0.0295 0.0334 0.0336
a 56.9% reduction in drying time. When using ethanol as a pretreat- b 0.5026 – – – 0.0002
w 0.0336 – – –
ment on drying of pumpkin, Rojas et al. (2018b) also found that the c – −0.0632 – –
samples treated with ethanol dried faster than control samples, redu- R2 0.9989 0.9999 0.9989 0.9989 0.9980
cing the drying time in 49.5% to achieve this same moisture content. E (%) 4.27 0.87 4.40 4.30 4.43
This reduction in drying time was higher than that of pretreated sam- E50US a 0.5025 1.0101 – 0.9983 −0.0390
k 0.0485 0.0472 0.0486 0.0486
ples without the use of ethanol. For example, Wang, Feng et al. (2019)
b 0.4957 – – – 0.0004
reported a reduction of 16.7–25.0% for ultrasound pretreated dried w 0.0486 – – –
kiwifruit. c – −0.0128 – –
The drying time reduction obtained when ultrasound and vacuum R2 0.9981 0.9982 0.9981 0.9981 0.9926
pulse was associated with the ethanol was greater than the reduction E (%) 6.86 5.98 6.79 6.86 9.59
E50VC a 0.5189 1.1732 – 1.0102 −0.0339
obtained for the use of ethanol separately. The combination of these k 0.0437 0.0321 0.0433 0.0437
technologies was reported to show a positive effect on drying time by b 0.4913 – – – 0.0003
Rojas et al. (2018a). w 0.0437 – – –
Modeling assists in the analysis and understanding of the drying c – −0.1728 – –
R2 0.9950 0.9999 0.9948 0.9950 0.9997
processes. The use of empirical models has its highlight due to the
E (%) 10.21 0.65 10.40 10.21 1.69
E50USVC a 0.5064 1.2178 – 1.0143 −0.0323
k 0.0414 0.0289 0.0408 0.0414
Table 3 b 0.5079 – – – 0.0003
Drying time to reach 20% moisture content (wet basis). w 0.0414 – – –
c – −0.2144 – –
Condition Drying time (min) R2 0.9925 0.9986 0.9920 0.9925 0.9996
E (%) 9.97 4.03 10.17 9.97 1.81
Control 130
E100 77
TT – Two Terms; LOG – Logarithmic; SGE – Single Exponential; HP – Henderson
E100US 57
E100VC 76
and Pabis; WS – Wang and Singh.
E100USVC 56
E50 104 ability to estimate drying times and to generalize drying curves, ac-
E50US 72 cording to the process conditions, being able to estimate optimal con-
E50VC 120
ditions that result in the desired final moisture content. The mathe-
E50USVC 72
matical models had their adjustments to the experimental data tested in

4
R.M.C. da Cunha, et al. Food Chemistry 333 (2020) 127502

different conditions. The parameters of the empirical models, with re-
spective R2 and the mean relative deviation, are presented in Table 4.
As can be seen, many models had a good fit for several treatments
(R2 > 0.99 and E (%) ≤ 10%). Values of E (%) less than or equal to
10% are considered to fit the experimental data satisfactorily (Lomauro
et al, 1985). For the control treatment, the only one that did not present
good fit characteristics was the Logarithmic model (R2 < 0.60 and
E > 90%). However, for the E100 treatment, only the Logarithmic
model presented a good fit (R2 > 0.998 and E < 4%), and the other
models tested R2 > 0.99, the E > 35%. For E100US sample, the re-
sults were similar to E100, however, the best fit was obtained with
Wang and Singh model (R2 > 0.99 and E < 6%), with the other
models resulting in R2 > 0.99, but E > 55%. The E100VC condition
was adjusted with the Logarithmic (R2 > 0.99 and E < 4%) and
Wang and Singh (R2 > 0.99 and E < 2%) models, with the other
models obtaining E > 20%. The same occurred for the E100USVC
condition.
Most of the models tested in the treatments with an immersion in
50% ethanol solution presented a good fit (R2 > 0.99 and E < 10%),
except the Two Terms, Single Exponential, and Henderson and Pabis
models for E50VC condition, and Single Exponential for E50USVC
(E > 10%). It is worth mentioning that the Logarithmic model ob-
tained E < 1% for the E50 and E50VC conditions.
3.2. Quality analysis
Melon samples were dried up to a moisture content of 0.25 kg H2O/
kg dry mass (20%, wet basis) and then submitted to some quality
analysis. The average values of the quality parameters evaluated are
shown in Tables 5. There is a considerable reduction in the values of
these parameters for all dried samples analyzed when compared to
fresh melon, highlighting possible relation to thermal degradation. The
pretreatment type, as well as the ethanol concentration, had also in-
fluenced the results.
3.2.1. Total phenolic compounds
For the dried samples, there was a reduction of the concentration of
total phenolics compounds (TPC) in all conditions, without significant
differences between the pretreated ones. The reduction of these phy-
tochemicals could be related to the fact that they are sensitive to high
temperatures, and thus can be affected by the drying process, which
leads to a reduction in its content and antioxidant capacity (Ahmad-
Qasem et al., 2013). In addition, the enzymatic oxidation by poly-
phenoloxidase was reported by Djendoubi et al. (2012) as the main
mechanism of phenol degradation during convective drying.
Although there was no statistical difference between the dried
melon with and without pretreatment, the untreated dried sample
showed a slightly higher phenolic content. This could be explained by
the fact that the pretreatment was performed using pure ethanol or an
aqueous ethanolic solution, which favors the phenolic extraction or loss
during this step. As reported by Dorta et al. (2012), ethanol and water
are amongst the most used solvents for phenolics extraction. Thus, as a
result, a lower phenolic content was obtained for the pretreated dried
melon. In addition, morphological changes caused by sonication, such
as cell wall and vacuoles disruption, may have occurred, a fact which
contributed to the release of these compounds in the pretreated
medium. Fonteles et al. (2012) verified a reduction of up to 30% in the
CTF of samples of melon juice submitted to ultrasound. The authors
reported that the formation of free radicals may have affected the
phenolic compounds of Cantaloupe melon juice, since –OH radicals
formed during cavitation may affect bioactive compounds such as
phenolics. Silva et al. (2016) also verified similar behavior for dried
Cantaloupe melon with different types of pretreatments using a va-
cuum, ultrasound, and osmotic dehydration.
3.2.2. Total carotenoids
In relation to the total carotenoids content, its reduction occurred
because of the exposure to a higher temperature (60 °C) and the pro-
cessing time, since these pigments are highly unstable and susceptible
to degradation or isomerization process, as reported by Goula and
Adamopoulos (2010). In addition, carotenoids are liposoluble mole-
cules (apolar substance) and soluble in organic solvents such as ethanol,
but insoluble in water (polar substance), which might explain the lower
retention of carotenoids when the ethanol solution concentration of
100% was used for pretreatment when compared to the aqueous
ethanolic solution (50%) and the untreated dried samples.
The samples presenting the higher carotenoid retention was
E50˃control˃E50VC. Although these samples exhibited the longest
drying time, the use of ultrasound also influenced the extraction (or
loss) of carotenoids during pretreatment, since it results in the forma-
tion of microchannels in the melon tissue, allowing the passage of the
sample to the solvent (ethanol) (Corbin et al., 2015; Silva et al., 2016)
and its loss during pretreatment. Medeiros et al. (2016) reported a re-
duction in the carotenoids content of mango after pretreatment, prob-
ably related to cell damage by ultrasound, followed by drying.
3.2.3. Ascorbic acid
There has been a reduction in the content of ascorbic acid after
drying. The degradation is also strongly influenced by the character-
istics of the drying process, being a large part lost by the heat and the
presence of oxygen (Mercali et al., 2014). In addition, according to Jin
et al. (2014), degradation may be linked to the collapse of the internal
structure and the release of nutritional components during drying.
Natural plant materials are often well organized into cellular com-
partments, where nutrients and other components (sugar, starch, and
protein) are located on natural cellular compartments. However, the
cell wall also becomes a controlling factor in the bioavailability of
nutrients. The physical state of the cell structure regulates the release,
mass transfer, accessibility and biochemical stability of components.
Table 5 shows that, in general, ascorbic acid values are higher when

Table 5
Physicochemical characterization of fresh and dried melon samples.
Samples Total phenolic(mg GAE/g |DM) Carotenoids(μg/g DM) Ascorbic acid (mg/100 g DM) ColorL* a* b*

a a a
Fresh 3.66 ± 0.68 148.08 ± 1.88 197.85 ± 0.01 69.76 ± 0.66a 18.21 ± 0.56ab 38.56 ± 1.69a
Control 0.60 ± 0.09b 58.43 ± 1.58c 148.98 ± 4.27c 60.75 ± 2.10b 17.78 ± 0.55ª 40.54 ± 0.49a
E100 0.44 ± 0.10b 35.94 ± 0.44e 116.13 ± 5.67ef 53.84 ± 1.29c 20.40 ± 1.22c 32.43 ± 1.13b
E100US 0.38 ± 0.07b 28.49 ± 0.50f 121.27 ± 1.46e 49.72 ± 0.21de 20.30 ± 0.23c 32.30 ± 1.44b
E100VC 0.32 ± 0.09b 29.71 ± 1.56f 107.84 ± 2.63f 48.67 ± 0.19d 19.78 ± 0.26c 33.35 ± 0.60b
E100USVC 0.29 ± 0.01b 30.96 ± 0.08f 111.02 ± 1.50ef 39.46 ± 0.24f 24.66 ± 0.60d 30.97 ± 0.03b
E50 0.50 ± 0.03b 64.74 ± 0.18b 184.14 ± 7.96b 51.80 ± 0.91ce 20.41 ± 0.31c 31.69 ± 0.17b
E50US 0.42 ± 0.03b 37.33 ± 0.19e 133.30 ± 1.81d 49.57 ± 0.52de 20.07 ± 0.42c 32.66 ± 0.44b
E50VC 0.47 ± 0.03b 43.68 ± 0.82d 149.58 ± 1.63c 42.92 ± 0.93 g 21.61 ± 0.29ce 32.75 ± 0.17b
E50USVC 0.46 ± 0.02b 35.08 ± 0.30e 135.03 ± 3.99d 44.65 ± 1.45 g 22.39 ± 0.60e 31.30 ± 0.75b

DM: dry matter

Samples with the same letter within the same column showed no statistically significant difference for their mean values at 95% confidence level.

5
R.M.C. da Cunha, et al.
the ethanol concentration is 50%, thus exposing a direct and negative
relationship between the presence of ethanol and preservation of as-
corbic acid. Comparing treatments with 50% ethanol concentration, it
can be observed that the highest value reached was for E50 condition
(184.14 ± 7.96 mg/100 g DM), although it was lower than the fresh
samples (which was expected) but higher than the value found in the
control samples. Following the E50 treatment is the E50VC condition
(149.58 ± 1.63 mg/100 g DM). Wang, Feng et al. (2019) reported a
lower ascorbic acid loss for dried scallion pretreated with ethanol and
ethanol and vacuum, which was attributed to the fact that the ethanol
absorption reduced the contact of water with ascorbic acid, protecting
it against oxidation and water solubility.
Samples that were pretreated in the presence of ultrasound also
presented ascorbic acid loss. Studies report the degradation of ascorbic
acid in fruit juice after treatment using ultrasound due to the possible
production of hydroxyl radicals by cavitation (Adekunte et al. 2010).
3.2.4. Color
Sensory characteristics, especially the appearance of food at the
time of purchase, allows rapid identification and influences acceptance.
Thus, the acceptability of food is directly affected by color (Oliveira
et al., 2010), and, consequently, care must be taken to reduce pigment
damage and darkening reactions in the course of processing (Tekin
et al., 2017). Melon color results are presented in Table 5.
After the drying process, there was a decrease in lightness (L*) of all
the samples. However, the dried control sample had a lower variation,
indicating the direct influence of pretreatments in this parameter. Silva
Júnior et al. (2018) and Silva et al. (2019) also found a decrease in the
brightness of dried papaya and nectarine samples, respectively, sug-
gesting that high temperatures can reduce L* parameter values, and
thus indicating a darker sample.
The presence of a greater concentration of ethanol in the pretreat-
ment also caused a greater reduction in lightness (L *). The use of va-
cuum associated or not to ultrasound (E100VC, E100USVC, E50VC, and
E50USVC) had a major influence in decreasing lightness (L*). The color
of Cantaloupe melon pulp is directly related to the presence of car-
otenoids (Fleshman et al., 2011), thus it is possible to link these results
with the greatest reduction in the content of these phytochemicals in
the samples (Table 5).
After drying, the red color was intensified in the a* parameter for
the pretreated samples, with a significant increase (p < 0.05) com-
pared to fresh sample. Silva et al. (2016) obtained a similar behavior for
dried melon, oberserving that all dried melons had loss of carotenoids
and, thus, presented color difference from fresh fruit. Fratianni et al.
(2013) reported discoloration for dried apricot during air drying, due to
the oxidation of ascorbic acid, enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning
reactions and the loss of pigments. Also, the authors reported that
polyphenols and β-carotene were the main agents of the yellow to or-
ange color in apricot. An intense reduction in L* value (lightness) and
an increase in a* value (redness) are indicator for browning of product
during drying (Gracia-Martinez et al., 2013).
For the parameter b*, representing the yellow color, there was no
significant difference between control and fresh samples. However, the
pretreated samples had a decrease in this parameter, that is, they were
less yellow. These results may be related to the decrease in the car-
otenoids content of these samples, since these pigments contribute to
the yellow to red colors of foods, determining the absorption spectrum
and, consequently, the visible color of the carotenoid, being also clas-
sified as chromophore substances by, under light stimulus, produce
attractive colors providing the visible absorption spectrum (Kopec
et al., 2012).
4. Conclusions
The results of this study suggest that the use of ethanol as a pre-
treatment has a positive influence on the drying of melon, with a
6
Food Chemistry 333 (2020) 127502
reduction in drying time, when compared to control. The Two Terms
exponential gave good R2 values (> 0.999) and calculated mean re-
lative deviation < 10% for the dried samples without the pretreatment
step (control samples), while for the pretreated dried melon, the best fit
was obtained by using the Logarithmic (E100, E50, E50US, E50VC) and
Wang and Singh (E100US, E100VC, E100USVC, E50USVC) models. All
dried samples presented a reduction in quality parameters. However,
among them, the E50 dried melon exhibited the highest retentions of
total phenolics, total carotenoids, and ascorbic acid.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Renata Masur Carneiro da Cunha: Conceptualization,
Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Data curation, Resources,
Writing - original draft, Visualization. Shirley Clyde Rupert Brandão:
Methodology, Investigation, Writing - original draft. Rafael Augusto
Batista de Medeiros: Methodology, Investigation. Edvaldo Vieira da
Silva Júnior: Methodology, Validation. João Henrique Fernandes da
Silva: Validation, Formal analysis, Writing - review & editing. Patrícia
Moreira Azoubel: Conceptualization, Validation, Formal analysis,
Resources, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing,
Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influ-
ence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge UFPE (Federal University of
Pernambuco), CAPES (National Council for the Improvement of Higher
Education, PROEX CAPES 1734-2015), and CNPq (National Scientific
and Technological Development Council) for the fellowships and
funding.
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