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DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF AN ON-FARM FORCED CONVECTION SOLAR DRYER FOR TOMATO
Abstract:
An on-farm research to evaluate the performance of a forced convection tomato solar dryer at Kwanar Gafan tomato market in Kano State was conducted. The dryer was built using mud blocks, white transparent polythene as dryer top cover and the drying trays made from traditional straw mat (Asabari). The dryer with a capacity of 400kg (10 baskets) of fresh tomatoes was tested under 3 different drying methods (Forced convection, Natural convection closed chamber and Natural convection open chamber). The results show that tomato was dried in 2 days and 4 days for Eke’s and Local slice respectively as against 4 days and 8 days in open-sun drying. Fifty percent saving in drying time was achieved for 2 different tomato slice types (Local and Eke’s slice) under the forced convection solar dryer when compared with the traditional open sun dryer. The drying rate of tomato under the forced convection solar dryer was significant (P≤0.05) from the other drying methods. There was also a significant variation (P≤0.05) in drying tomatoes within the drying chamber of the forced convection solar dryer for both local and Eke’s tomato slice type. The system drying efficiency of the forced convection solar dryer was 31%, which was higher than the other drying methods. The organoleptic quality test of the dried tomato samples showed that samples in the forced convection solar dryer retained their attractive red colour similar to fresh tomato indicating no mould growth and tasted more like fresh tomatoes. While samples of tomato dried under natural convection dryers show signed of mould growth and the colour changes to black.
DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF AN ON-FARM FORCED CONVECTION SOLAR DRYER FOR TOMATO
