Optimizing Export Soft-Dried Mango Production Process with Daxwell Cold Drying Technology

Overview: Shifting to High Value-Added Products

In the context of globalized agricultural supply chains, Vietnam's fruit processing industry is shifting strongly from simple preliminary processing to high value-added products. According to a report from the Ministry of Industry and Trade Portal, the demand for dried tropical fruits in the EU and US is growing by 5-7% annually.

Among these, Soft-dried Mango is a key product. Unlike crispy dried mango chips, soft-dried mango requires maintaining a soft texture, characteristic chewiness, and natural flavor. This report provides a technical analysis of the production process and the role of Daxwell Heat Pump Drying Technology in realizing these standards.

1. Raw Material Analysis: Why is Keo Mango the "King"?

The choice of mango variety determines economic efficiency and product quality:

• Hoa Loc Mango: Although it has excellent flavor, the flesh structure is soft and easily crushed when ripe, making industrial manipulation difficult, and the raw material cost is too high.
• Keo Mango: The optimal choice for mass production due to its "crispy when green, chewy when ripe" characteristic. The flesh is thick, with little fiber, retains its form well after drying, and has a low input cost, ensuring a good profit margin.

Physiological Maturity: The gold standard for soft-dried mango is "firm-ripe": the skin turns yellow about 30-50%, and Brix reaches 12-14%.

2. Pre-processing & Pre-treatment Techniques

Slice thickness is a critical parameter affecting drying kinetics. The recommended standard thickness is 10 - 12 mm.

• Too thin (<8mm): The product easily becomes dry, hard, and loses its "meaty" texture.
• Too thick (>15mm): Causes "case hardening" (dry shell, wet core).

Antioxidant Treatment: Use Citric Acid to inhibit browning enzymes and Calcium Chloride to create Calcium Pectate bridges, helping the mango slice become firmer.

3. Osmotic Dehydration Technique

This is the step that differentiates soft mango. A portion of water is removed through osmosis, while sugar is loaded into the fruit tissue structure. To prevent "sugar crystallization" (white spots) on the product surface after storage, a portion of Saccharose sugar should be replaced with Glucose or Maltose.

4. Daxwell Heat-Pump Technology: Realizing Variable Drying Profiles

Traditional thermal drying at high temperatures (>65°C) destroys Vitamin C and causes loss of the bright yellow color. In contrast, the Daxwell Heat Pump Dryer allows drying at a low temperature range (<55°C) in a closed cycle.

Application of Step-down Drying Profile on Daxwell

Daxwell's PLC control system & HMI screen allows setting precise thermal profiles:

• Stage 1 (Preliminary Drying 55-60°C): Rapidly evaporate free water, preventing mold.
• Stage 2 (Main Drying 45-50°C): Reduce heat to protect color and vitamins.
• Stage 3 (Finishing Drying 35-40°C): Balance moisture, bringing it down to the target level (15-18%).

5. Infographic: Comparison of Drying Technology Efficiency

6. Conclusion: Investing in Quality

To produce export-standard soft-dried mango, businesses cannot rely solely on manual experience but must rely on scientific parameters. The Daxwell Heat-Pump Dryer from DeAir is a comprehensive technological solution helping businesses optimize processes, minimize risks, and enhance brand value for Vietnamese agricultural products.