Mathematical modeling of blanched and unblanched solar dried ginger rhizome varieties.

Abstract

This research examines the mathematical modelling of blanched and unblanched solar dried ginger rhizome varieties. The Umudike ginger I and II (UG I and UG II) were blanched with an Electric water bath in the Soil and Water Laboratory, Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering Department, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State. The samples UG I and UG II, were blanched for 3, 6, and 9 minutes at 50℃ respectively. Each samples with the treatment were subjected to active solar drying in sequence. Also, blanched and unblanched UG I and UG II were subjected to active solar drying. The treatment was carried out at 10mm thickness for UG I and UG II rhizome. There were ten different mathematical drying models compared based on the correlation coefficient, mean bias error, root mean square error and reduced chi-square method. The various models used are efficient thin layer drying models and its best fitted model varies due to the blanched and unblanched treatments of UG I and UG II. It was also used to validate and predict equations for all the treatments. The Henderson and Pabis model was recommended for predicting the drying characteristics of blanched and unblanched UG I and UG II ginger rhizomes.

Keywords

• Blanching, Drying models, Ginger rhizomes, Mathematical models, Solar drying