EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND AIR RECIRCULATING RATE ON THE WEIGHT LOSSES OF MINT UNDER HYBRID SOLAR DRYING CONDITIONS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD. Stud., Ag. Eng. Dept., Fac. of Ag., Benha U., Egypt.

2 Assoc. Prof. of Ag. Eng., Fac. of Ag., Benha U., Egypt.

3 Prof. of Ag. Eng., Fac. of Ag., Benha U., Egypt.

4 Head of Res., Food Tech. Res. Inst., Ag. Res. Center, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to study the effect of drying temperature and air recirculation percentages on the weight losses of mint, drying time, final moisture content and drying rate. Fresh basil was dried using different drying temperatures (50, 55 and 60 °C) and different air recirculating percentages (70, 80 and 90 %). Air temperature on the drying chamber, Weight losses, moisture content and drying rate were recorded. The obtained results indicated that the air temperature of the drying chamber ranged from 20 to 50, 13 to 55 and 18 to 60 °C for 50, 55 and 60 °C drying temperature, respectively. The accumulated weight loss of mint leaves increased from 79.93 to 80.10, 79.99 to 80.15 and 80.05 to 80.29 %, when the drying temperature increased from 50 to 60 °C, respectively, for 70, 80 and 90 % air recirculating. The moisture content of mint leaves ranged from 2.78 to 402.01, 0.80 to 404.02 and 1.61 to 408.13 % d.b. for 50, 55 and 60 °C drying temperature, respectively. The drying rate of mint leaves decreases with increasing drying temperature and air recirculating percentage. The total costs of dried mint decreased from 8.60 to 7.44, 9.73 to 8.03 and 10.91 to 8.85 L.E kg-1 of mint, when the air recirculating percentage increased from 70 to 90 %, respectively at 50, 55 and 60 °C drying temperature.

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