THIN-LAYER DRYING CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANTAIN (MUSA PARADISIACA) CHIPS
Satimehin1, A. A., Alakali2, J. S. and Alabi1, O. T.
1Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
2Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Thin-layer drying rates of plantain chips were determined experimentally as a function of drying air temperature. The plantain chips were fully exposed to convective air at constant temperatures of 40, 50, 60 and 75 °C, and velocity of 2.2 m/s. The drying data obtained were fitted to the thin-layer drying model of Fick’s diffusion equation. Results showed that plantain drying is a diffusion-controlled process. The rate of drying increased with temperature; and the characteristic drying constant also increased linearly with the product’s temperature. The activation energy of plantain drying was 14.298 kJ/mol within the temperature range of 40 to 75°C.
Keywords: Drying kinetics, thin layer, plantain, Musa paradisiaca |