| dc.description.abstract | The effect on seaweed products was assessed for two species of brown seaweeds (A. esculenta and S.latissima) using two different drying methods (ambient air or convection drying) over a period of up to 10 days in predrying storage encased in ice. The quality change was studied accounting for the water content, water activity, temperature, relative humidity and effect in CFUs while processing, as well as the finished product's chemical contents, physicochemical properties and colour. Multivariate exploratory analysis was performed using PCA and HCA to study trends in variation. The products showed similar or improved quality over storage length, despite organoleptic signs of onset spoilage prior to processing, with changes impacted mostly by drying method, followed by cultivar and likely intraspecies variation. More research is needed to account for consumption safety (e.g. iodine, microbiological profile), however, results suggest stable and improved quality for harvested seaweeds stored with these methods for at least five days prior to processing of the dried seaweed products. | |