A comparative study of bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of melon (Cucumis melo L.) slices dehydrated by oven, microwave and infrared systems

Fresh melon (control) contained 0.07 µg/g total carotenoid, 17.56 mg GAE/100 g total phenol, and 8.21 mg QE/100 g total flavonoid. Antioxidant activity value of fresh melon (control) was 0.15 mmol TE/100 g while total carotenoid amounts of dehydrated melons vary between 0.05 µg/g (oven) and 0.29 µg/g (microwave), and total flavonoid amounts of dehydrated melons were measured between 42.50 (microwave and infrared) and 43.21 mg QE/100 g. Total phenol contents of dehydrated melon slices were identified between 101.96 (infrared) and 150.18 mg GAE/100 g (microwave). While the contents of 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic, (+)‐catechin, caffeic, syringic, rutin, p‐coumaric and ferulic acid of melon samples dehydrated in the oven were higher than those of melons dehydrated in microwave and infrared, only gallic acid, 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic, (+)‐catechin, and ferulic acid contents were slightly higher than those of melons dehydrated in infrared. The highest component was determined in melon dehydrated in the oven, followed by infrared and microwave in decreasing order. Practical applications Melon is one of the most consumed fruits worldwide. Dehydration is one of the main postharvest processes. Drying studies were carried out on determining several quality indexes. Dehydrated melon is prepared as a product enriched with bioactive components. In this concept, melon has become a preferred and consumed food item in the world in terms of taste due to its high sweetness and total phenolic. Especially fruits have an important role in human nutrition due to their many bioactive and phenolic compounds. While the contents of 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid, (+)‐catechin, caffeic, syringic, rutin‐trihydrate, p‐coumaric and ferulic acid of melon samples dehydrated in the oven were higher than those of melons dehydrated in microwave and infrared, only gallic acid, 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid, (+)‐catechin and ferulic acid contents were slightly higher than those of melons dehydrated in infrared.