The Philippine Agricultural Mechanization Journal is published quarterly by the Agricultural Mechanization Development Program, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Banos
The Philippine Agricultural Mechanization Journal is a non-refereed journal which aims to serve as a national venue for the dissemination of information on recent research and development in the field of agricultural mechanization, agricultural engineering and related fields.
Drying of Mango Slices Using a Cabinet Dryer Retrofitted with Ricehull-Fired Furnace
ABSTRACT
The project was undertaken to develop a cabinet dryer retrofitted with rice hull furnace and determine its performance in drying mango slices. The cabinet dryer had a capacity of 240 kg/batch, three racks which accommodated 50 drying trays, and kerosene burner with heat exchanger. Mango slices with initial moisture content of 50.7 % were dried in nine and a half hours (9.5 h) uniformly down to 11.6 % final moisture content. The developed furnace had automatic husk feeding and ash unloading mechanisms, temperature controller, heat exchanger and fly ash scrubber. Performance tests showed that at rice hull consumption rate of 13.8 to 14.5 kg/h, the furnace attained efficiencies of 52.2 to 54.8 which were above the 50 % minimum acceptable level set by PAES. The rice hull furnace was successfully retrofitted to the cabinet dryer. Cost analysis showed that total drying cost was reduced from Php 25.98/kg to Php 19.29/kg of dried mango when the kerosene burner was replaced with rice hull furnace. Quality analysis of dried mango slices from the retrofitted cabinet dryer showed no significant reduction in ?-carotene content of dried products. Also, microbial load analysis indicated the dried products passed the standard for maximum allowable microbial load. Lastly, sensory evaluation showed that dried mango slices from retrofitted cabinet dryer was comparable with current commercial products from the mango processor.
Keywords: drying of mango, cabinet dryer, ricehull-fired furnace
Science Research Specialist II, Chief Science Research Specialist, Supervising Science Research Specialist, Research Assistant, Science Research Specialist I and Director II, respectively, Postharvest Engineering Department, Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension, Munoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
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The Managing Editor
AMDP, IAE, CEAT
University of the Philippines Los Banos
College, Laguna 4031 Philippines
e-mail address: mariavictorialarona@yahoo.com
