DRYING OF TURMERIC (Curcuma longa) IN SOLAR TUNNEL DRYER 3787
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Date
2023-12
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JAU JUNAGADH
Abstract
India, renowned as the "Land of Spices," holds a prominent position as the
world's leading producer, consumer, and exporter of spices. Derived from the rhizomes
of Curcuma longa, a member of the ginger family, turmeric contains bioactive such as
curcuminoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, all contributing to its health-promoting
properties. To preserve turmeric, drying is a time-tested method, aimed at reducing its
moisture content from the initial 70-80% at harvest to a safe 10%. Traditional sun
drying, while effective, has limitations including extended drying times, space
requirements, and potential product quality loss. In response, Solar dryers, which utilize
solar radiation as an energy source for drying agricultural products, have been widely
implemented in tropical and subtropical regions due to their affordability and cost effectiveness
This study, conducted during the academic year 2022-2023, focuses on
evaluating the drying characteristics of fresh turmeric rhizomes using different
blanching temperatures, durations, and slice thicknesses. Both solar tunnel dryers and
sun drying methods were employed. Turmeric samples, whole and sliced, were
subjected to blanching at varying temperatures (70°C, 80°C and 90°C), durations (15,
DRYING OF TURMERIC (Curcuma longa) IN SOLAR
TUNNEL DRYER
ABSTRACT
II
30 and 45 minutes), and thicknesses (4 mm, 5 mm and whole). The experimental layout
followed a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD).
The samples were subsequently subjected to drying in two distinct systems,
namely, sun drying and solar tunnel drying. The size of drying tray was kept 700 mm
x 700 mm x 50 mm with net volume of 0.0245 m3. Spread density of turmeric 214.3
kg/m3 was employed
The specimens are uniformly arranged on the drying layer, maintaining a
thickness within the range of 2-3 cm. The drying process was conducted during the
daytime, i.e., from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The mean values of physical properties of fresh turmeric viz., moisture content,
size, sphericity, bulk density, true density, porosity was 78.25 ± 0.703 % (wb), 30.80 ±
4.82 mm, 0.48 ±0.07, 447.87 ± 10.61 kg/m³, 1115.67 ± 39.97 kg/m³, and 60.22 %.
The mean values of proximate composition, viz., total carbohydrate, true
protein, total oil and total ash of raw turmeric rhizomes were found to be 9.18 ± 0.38
%, 1.41 ± 0.08 %, 0.82 ± 0.11 % and 0.71 ± 0.18 %, respectively.
The mean value of moisture content, size, sphericity, bulk density, true density
and porosity of dried turmeric rhizomes were found to be 9.88 ± 0.57 % (wb), 16.56 ±
2.81 mm, 0.41 ± 0.02 %, 579.15 ± 20.60 kg/m³, 1258.15 ± 61.82 kg/m³ and 54.40 %,
respectively.
The highest amount of curcumin (4.18 %), volatile oil (4.00 %), total
carbohydrate (63.41 %), total oil (4.90 %) and total ash (8.57 %) was observed in whole
turmeric rhizomes dried by solar tunnel drying. The findings viable option that whole
turmeric rhizomes with blanching low temperature and time interval and dried by solar
tunnel dryer is viable option for good qualities in term of curcumin, volatile oil, total
carbohydrate, total oil and total ash than the other drying methods.
From the present investigation, on the basis of biochemical parameters it is
concluded that the best quality turmeric powder is prepared by solar tunnel dried whole
turmeric rhizomes blanched at 70℃ for 15 min.
The recovery level of dried turmeric rhizomes was higher in the Solar Tunnel
Dryer (22.40 kg/q) as compared to traditional sun drying method (20.70 kg/q) in terms
of quantity as 1.70 kg/q and in terms economics return as Rs. 561.00 per 100 kg of
turmeric rhizomes. In other words, producer of Saurashtra region will gain additional
benefits of Rs. 2805 per batch of 500 kg of fresh turmeric rhizomes by adopting solar
tunnel dryer.