Abstract

LOPEZ-CERINO, Ignacio et al. Thin layer drying of Pineapple (Ananas comosus, L.). Ing. invest. y tecnol. [online]. 2018, vol.19, n.3, pp.329-342. ISSN 2594-0732.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fi.25940732e.2018.19n3.028.

Pineapple drying kinetics and its best fitting mathematical models were studied. Pineapple slices of 1 cm thickness were dried using a high precision lab-scale dryer developed at Hohenheim University, Germany using a controlled air stream at a specific humidity of 25 gwaterkgair -1 with three temperature levels of 50, 60 and 70°C along with air velocity of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 ms-1. The best fitting model of the ten used was the one proposed by Hasibuan and Daud followed by the models of Haghi and Angiz-IV and Sripinyowanich and Noomhorm, correspondingly. Predicted and experimental data matched acceptably. In order to assess the pineapple drying behaviour, the model by Hasibuan and Daud was used to simulate and optimise an efficient pineapple drying operation. After drying pineapple color fades slightly without major quality changes. From 50 to 70°C at 0.5 ms-1 drying time decreased subsequently from 26 to 12 hours; from 50 to 70°C but with an air velocity of 1.0 ms-1 drying time went down from 20 to 10 hours and finally with an air velocity of 1.5 ms-1 and same temperature rise drying time is reduced from 16 to 8 hours. It was not observed any drying constant rate.

Keywords : Pineapple; thin-layer drying; drying models; high precision laboratory dryer.

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