This invention discloses an optimized process for
drying rainbow trout skin using vacuum
microwave combined with
airflow puffing, belonging to the field of
food processing technology. Addressing the problems of low crispness and lack of systematic optimization of process parameters in existing
rainbow trout skin puffing processes, this invention investigates the effects of pre-
drying moisture content, puffing temperature, and
vacuum drying time on the puffing rate,
hardness, and crispness of the product through single-factor experiments. Based on this, using crispness (deformation distance) as the response value, a quadratic
polynomial regression model is established using Box-Behnken design, and the
optimal combination of process parameters is determined through
response surface methodology. The regression model is: Y = 0.2832 + 0.0837A + 0.0241B + 0.0186C + 0.0025AB + 0.0148AC + 0.0040BC + 0.2480A 2 +0.1190B 2 +0.0286C 2 The optimal process parameters obtained by this invention are: pre-
drying moisture content of 30%, puffing temperature of 85℃, and
vacuum drying time of 30 min. Under these conditions, the puffed
rainbow trout skin product exhibits a deformation distance of 0.25–0.31 mm, a puffing rate exceeding 200%, significantly improved crispness, and stable quality. The regression model established in this invention shows a good fit (R²). 2 =0.9948), with high prediction accuracy, it provides a clear technical parameter window for the industrial production of
rainbow trout skin puffed
snack food, and has good prospects for industrial application.