Rapid dry weight determination of kiwifruit pomace and apple pomace using an infrared drying technique

Oven drying is the accepted method for determining the dry matter content of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa), and can be used as an indicator of harvest maturity and quality. The disadvantage of this method is the time taken to complete the test, typically overnight. Infrared drying of kiwifruit and apple pomace is shown to be an alternative, giving the same level of accuracy as oven drying but with a much reduced determination time. This method is also comparable in drying time to microwave drying, but with the advantage of continuous recording of drying progress, through to final dry weight.