Drying is one of the oldest familiar post harvest processes of agricultural crops. Employing microwave power in drying is a novel approach in the last two decades. Microwave radiation causes molecular dipoles to rotate and ions to move in the material. Friction generated because of dipoles rotation and ions movements warm the material and causes water evaporation. In this study a combined convective-microwave dryer was developed by modification of a domestic microwave oven. Thin layer drying of lemon slices was investigated in convective drying at 50, 55 and 60 0 C inlet air temperatures, microwave drying at 180 W microwave power and combined drying by applying 180 and 360 W microwave powers at 50, 55 and 60 0 C inlet air temperatures in three replications. In all tests, the initial sample weight, air velocity and relative humidity were constants values of 190 g, 1.5 m/s and 25%, respectively. In drying experiments the initial moisture content was reduced from about 5.66 g/g (d.b.) to approximately final amount of 0.15 g/g (d.b.). Quality evaluation of the dried sample was determined by color parameters (L * , a * , b * ) and rehydration capacity measurements. Convective and combined experiments were analyzed in random factorial design (3×3). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine significant differences between drying durations, color parameters and rehydration capacities of the dried samples . Dependent variable means were compared by Duncan’s Multiple Range test ( ). Moisture reduction kinetics was investigated through moisture content versus time, drying rate versus moisture content and
