Comparative study of drying technologies for pork heart and lung: physicochemical properties and potential applications

Pork viscera are by-products with nutritional quality, but unfortunately, they are underutilized. In this context, this study evaluated different drying methods, as convective oven, air fryer, and freeze-drying, applied to pork heart and lung, aiming to determine their physicochemical characteristics. Analyses included the proximate composition of fresh viscera and the properties of the samples after drying. The results showed protein contents of 11.91% for the lung and 20.29% for the heart. Oven drying at 160 °C was the fastest, achieving moisture contents below 0.30 g water/g dry solids in less time. The air fryer also demonstrated good performance, particularly at 160 °C, although with a higher risk of crust formation. Freeze-drying resulted in the lowest water activity and moisture content while better-preserving color attributes. It is concluded that pork lung and heart have significant potential for incorporation into pet food formulations, with the choice of drying method crucial for the final product quality.