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Food dehydration by solar energy
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
|January 1, 1982
Summary
Solar dryers offer efficient agricultural product drying through direct or indirect methods. Solar drying preserves food quality and is economically viable for small-scale operations, especially for grains.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Engineering
- Renewable Energy Technologies
- Food Science
Background:
- Solar dryers are being explored for agricultural product dehydration.
- Current designs fall into direct, indirect, or combination drying categories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and categorize solar dryer designs for agricultural products.
- To evaluate the effectiveness and economic feasibility of solar drying.
Main Methods:
- Categorization of solar dryers based on energy transfer mechanisms (direct vs. indirect).
- Review of dryer components like heat absorbers and air circulation systems.
- Analysis of product quality and economic viability.
Main Results:
- Direct dryers utilize solar radiation directly on the product, often without fans.
- Indirect dryers use solar collectors and often require fans for air circulation.
- Solar-dried foods generally maintain or improve physical properties, flavor, and vitamin retention (A & C).
Conclusions:
- Solar drying is effective for agricultural products, preserving quality comparable to conventional methods.
- Most solar drying systems are economically feasible for small-scale use, with grain drying being a notable exception.
- Further research into combination drying principles may offer enhanced efficiency.