This research aimed to study drying rate of pork skin and optimum conditions of
puffed pork rind using microwave vacuum oven. A 23 factorial in completely randomized design
with 3 center points was employed to optimize the puffing condition (initial moisture content of
pork skin; 10-20%, microwave power; 2400-4800 watts and puffing time; 3-6 min). Pork skin
was dried at 75°C. In order to obtain moisture content at 10, 15 and 20%, drying time were 580,
240 and 170 min, respectively. The optimum conditions were 10.00-10.62% of initial moisture
content, 4321-4800 watt of microwave power and 4.36-6.00 min of puffing time. After puffing,
physicochemical properties of the product were 3.46% of moisture content, 0.166 of water
activity, 2.62 kg.force of hardness, 27.10 of color intensity and 19.20 mL.g-1 of expansion
volume. The sensory acceptability scores using a 9-point hedonic scale, the result showed
overall linking, puffiness, color, odor, flavor and crispness were 7.3, 7.4, 7.1, 6.9, 7.1 and 7.7,
respectively. Moreover, reduced fat pork rind product (9.09% of fat content) contained 75% less
fat than those of commercial product (36.44% of fat content) which met the Ministry of Health
definition of reduced fat.
Keywords: Puffing,