Effect of Drying Kinetics on the Quality of the Green Capsicum (Capsicum annum)

Saha Madhumita, Das Dibya, Saha Pinaki, Saha Sushmita, Saha Suman Kumar, Chakraborty Runu*

Jadavpur University, Kolkata, west Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

The effect of power (Watt) of microwave assistance drying on consumption of energy, drying efficiency and kinetic studies in green capsicum (Capsicum annum) was studied. For describing green capsicum drying behavior two mathematical models (Lewis model and Parabolic model) are used. Based on their root mean square error, χ2 and R2, values of predicted and experimental moisture content to models are compared. The drying time of green capsicum was decreased from 47 minutes to 22 minutes due to increasing power of microwave from 180 Watt to 900 Watt. The drying process was showing a falling rate period. In Lewis model the result shown most appropriate model for the study. For co-relation of moisture content with effective moisture diffusivity a third-order relationship was found. The effective moisture diffusivity of Green Capsicum samples increased as the moisture content decreased. Over the microwave power spectrum tested, the effective diffusivity ranged from 1.5 X 1012 m2/sec to 4.3 X 108 m2/sec, with an energy activation of 31.74 W/g. As microwave power and moisture content increased, so did energy efficiency.

Keywords:

Green Capsicum (Capsicum annum), Drying kinetics, Microwave drying, Lewis model