This research was conducted
to determine a suitable strategy to reduce the moisture content of fresh macadamia nut to a safe
level of 1–2% (d.b.). Hybrid drying process, namely, the use of heat pump drying (40 C) followed by hot
air drying (50–70 C) was chosen to investigate its feasibility to dry macadamia nut in a relatively fast and
economic fashion. The effects of the intermediate moisture content (IMC) (8–11% (d.b.)), which is the
moisture content at the end of the first-stage heat pump drying, as well as the drying temperature on
the drying kinetics and quality of the nut were determined. The quality of dried macadamia nut was
assessed in terms of the moisture content, water activity (aw), color, reducing sugar content and peroxide
value. The results showed that heat pump drying followed by hot air drying with IMC of 11.1% (d.b.) gave
shortest drying time (15–45.5 h). The temperature and moisture content of the nut prior to the secondstage
drying had significant effects on the peroxide value (p 6 0.05); higher drying temperatures led to
higher peroxide values. However, the interaction between the drying temperature and IMC had no significant
effect on the internal and external total color changes as well as on the amount of reducing sugar
(p > 0.05).