Analysis of red chili drying kinetics affected by low temperature long time blanching
Nunik Lestari and Samsuar

Department of Agricultural Technology Education, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia

Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia


Abstract

The drying kinetics of red chilies in the effect of low temperature long time blanching were investigated. The blanching process was carried out at 70 oC for 10, 15, and 20 minutes. The drying process lasts for 32 to 35 hours to reduce the moisture content from 82.24% (wb) to 8.84% (wb). The experimental data were fitted to three mathematical models of thin layer drying, namely the Herderson and Pabis, Lewis, and Page models. The result shows that Page model is the most suitable model for predicting moisture ratio in chili drying with low temperature long time blanching treatment. This suitability is evidenced by the highest R2 value, which ranges from 0.9709 to 0.9786, and also the lowest RMSE and MBE values, which ranges from 0.0503 to 0.0579 and 0.0025 to 0.0034 respectively. Meanwhile, the effective moisture diffusivity varies from 5.6300 x 10-9 m2/s to 6.5662 x 10-9 m2/s for the treatments studied

Keywords: Drying, mathematical modelling, chilie, solar dryer, pre-treatement

Topic: Smart Farming and Agricultural Engineering

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