The effect of water activity and temperature on the water content during the preservation of dates “MAJHOUL variety”

Abstract

Several parameters, including temperature, water activity and water content, play a crucial role in maintaining food quality over time. Temperature control during the preservation process is essential to inhibit the growth of unwanted microorganisms while avoiding the degradation of nutrient and aromatic compounds. Proper storage conditions help to prolong the life of food. The main objective of this study is to optimize the preservation process of dates to maintain their quality, including organoleptic quality and nutritional characteristics, by examining the influence of temperature, water activity on water content. The research aims to determine how these parameters influence the quality of dates. In this perspective, an uncoded unit regression equation of water content, temperature and water activity was developed. The model is more meaningful and has a better predictive capacity for new observations. Water activity is the main characteristic influenced, followed by temperature. Specifically, increasing water activity increases water content, while increasing temperature reduces water content.