Modelling the Dehydration Characteristics of Taro (Colocasia Esculenta) Slices in a Convective Cabinet Dryer

• A. P. Olalusi

  Federal University of Technology Akure

• M. S. Obot

  Federal University of Technology Akure

• A. S. Ogunlowo

  Federal University of Technology Akure

This study was undertaken to determine the thin layer dehydration characteristics of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) slices in a convective cabinet dryer. The dehydration characteristics of the untreated taro slices were examined at air temperatures of 50, 60 and 70°C, sample thickness of 4 and 8 mm and at air velocity of 1.2 m/s. The effects of air temperature and sample thickness on the dehydration characteristics were determined. The experimental data obtained were fitted to eight thin layer dehydration models which are Newton, Page, Modified page, Henderson and Pabis, Logarithmic, Two terms, Wang and Singh, and the Two term exponential models. The regression was done using Sigma plots 10 statistical software. The accuracies of the models were measured using four statistics namely the coefficient of determination (R2), Reduced Chi square (χ2), Root mean square error (RMSE), and the Mean bias error (MBE). All the drying models used, except the Modified Page's model, were able to describe the dehydration characteristics of taro slices. However, the Logarithmic model proved to be the most précised for the description of the dehydration of the taro slices in a convective cabinet dryer.

1. A. P. Olalusi, Federal University of Technology Akure
   Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering
2. M. S. Obot, Federal University of Technology Akure
   Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering
3. A. S. Ogunlowo, Federal University of Technology Akure
   Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering

• PDF

Copyright

With the submission of a manuscript, the corresponding author confirms that the manuscript is not under consideration by another journal. With the acceptance of a manuscript, the Journal reserves the exclusive right of publication and dissemination of the information contained in the article. The veracity of the paper and all the claims therein is solely the opinion of the authors not the journal.