Marlene P. Sambas Prof.

Benedicto
BSFT 2-1N
1. Advantages and dsadvantages of dehydration.

2. Different types of dryer.

Flash Dryers
A Flash Dryer uses ductwork, which acts as a container for the uniform transfer of
thermal energy from a hot gas stream to a moisture laden product, for the purpose of
moisture reduction in the product.  For proper drying the particle size must be uniform
and relatively small.  Wet product is introduced in the gas stream where the moisture is
flashed off, and then the dried product is removed from the gas stream.

The Ring Dryer is a variation of the flash dryer which grinds and then recycles product to
ensure uniform particle size and product moisture content.

Fluid Bed Dryer

A Fluid Bed Dryer uses a container equipped with vertical jets of hot gases, which acts as
a container for the uniform transfer of thermal energy from a hot gas stream to a moisture
laden product, for the purpose of moisture reduction in the product.  For proper drying
the particle must have near spherical shape as well as uniform small size and moisture
content.  The wet product must be uniformly introduced into the drying gas stream where
the moisture is flashed off.  The dried product is removed from the exiting gas stream.

Rotary Dryers
A rotary dryer uses a rotating cylindrical drum, which acts as a container for the uniform
transfer of thermal energy from a hot gas stream to a moisture laden product, for the
purpose of moisture reduction in the product.  Wet product is introduced into the inlet of
the drum where it is dried as it is conveyed to the drum’s outlet.  The drum is equipped
with flighting to disperse the product into the drying gas stream as the drum rotates.  The
product can either be conveyed pneumatically or it can be conveyed by gravity if the
drum is on a slope.  There are several different types of rotary dryers and they can be
used in many different applications.

The two common types of rotary drying systems are single and triple pass; however,
there are several other types and hybrids of these designs.

Steam Tube Dryer

A steam tube dryer is a constant temperature drying process.  The drying process always
takes place at the steam’s saturation temperature for the steam’s pressure.  Steam Tube
Dryers use a rotary drum for the drying vessel and product is handled in a Steam Tube
Dryer similar to a Rotary Dryer.  Product can be conveyed with gravity, screw flighting,
or pneumatics.
 The Steam Disc Dryer is a variation of the Steam Tube Dryer.

3. Other methods of drying.

Oven Drying
Oven drying is the simplest way to dry food because you need almost no special
equipment. It is also faster than sun drying or using a food dryer. But oven drying can be
used only on a small scale. An ordinary kitchen oven can hold only 4 to 6 pounds of food
at one time.
Set the oven on the lowest possible setting and preheat to 140 degrees F. (60 C.).
Do not use the broiler unit of an electric oven because the food on the top tray will dry
too quickly' Remove the unit if it has no separate control. Some gas ovens have a pilot
right, which may keep the oven warm enough to dry the food.
It is important to keep the oven temperature at 140 to 160 F. (60 to 70 C.). So put
an oven thermometer on the top tray about half way back where you can see it easily.
Check the temperature about every half hour.
Arrange 1 to 2 pounds of prepared food in a single layer on each tray. Put one tray
on each oven rack. Allow 1-1/2 inches of space on the sides, front, and back of the trays
so that air can circulate all around them in the oven. To stack more trays in the oven, use
blocks of wood in the comers of the racks to hold the trays at least I inches apart. Dry no
more than four trays of food at a time. A lighter load dries faster than a full load.
Keep the oven door open slightly during drying. A rolled newspaper, a block of
wood, or a hot pad will keep the door ajar so that moist air can escape while the heat
stays in the oven. Four to six inches for electric ovens or 1 to 2 inches for gas ovens is
usually enough space for ventilation, but use a thermometer to check the oven
temperature to make sure it stays at 140 F. An electric fan placed in front of the oven
door helps to keep the air circulating.
Shifting the trays often is important for even drying because the temperature is
not the same everywhere in the oven. Rotate the trays from top to bottom and from front
to back every half hour. It helps to number the trays so you can keep track of the order in
which you rotate them. Stirring fruit or vegetables every half hour or so also helps the
food to dry evenly. jerky needs to be turned over occasionally to keep it from sticking to
the trays.
 Food Dryer
A commercial or homemade food dryer or convection oven provides
automatically controlled heat and ventilation. Most households will not need a dryer
unless they dry large quantities of food. A food dryer takes less electricity than drying the
same amount of food in an electric oven. However, the temperature is usually lower
(about 120 degrees F. or 50 C.), so drying takes a little longer than in an oven.
You can buy a dryer at hardware, housewares farm supply, or health food stores.
The price of commercial dryers varies greatly depending on the size, type of heating
element, and other, special features. Directions for making an inexpensive dryer (see
illustration above) are given in several of the publications listed at the end of this circular.
An old refrigerator or icebox can be converted into a food dryer. just be sure the
temperature is controlled and the ventilation is adequate.
 When using a dryer, preheat it to 125 F. (52 C.). Place the food on trays and stack
the trays in the dryer. Gradually increase the temperature to 140 F. (60 C.). It takes 4 to
12 hours to dry fruits or vegetables in a dryer.
Do not use space heaters to dry food. These stir up dust and dirt, which contaminate the
food. For the same reason, do not try to dry food on a furnace vent or clothes dryer.
 Sun Drying
Sun drying is the old-fashioned way to dry food because it uses the heat from the
sun and the natural movement of the air. But bright sun, low humidity, and temperatures
around 100 degrees F. are necessary. In Illinois the humidity is usually too high for
successful sun drying. This process is slow and requires a good deal of care. The food
must be protected from insects and covered at night. Sun drying is not as sanitary as other
methods of drying. Don't sun dry food if you live near a busy road or in an area where the
air is not clean.
If you decide to sun dry foods, you might want to use a natural-draft dryer (see
illustration above). The advantage of this kind of dryer is that it hastens drying by
trapping heat from the sun. It also protects the food from insects and birds. Its
construction is described in several of the recommended publications.
Place pieces of food on drying trays and then cover them with a layer of
cheesecloth or netting to keep off dust and insects. Place the dryer in direct sunlight on a
roof or high surface away from animals, traffic exhaust, and dust. After the food is almost
dry, put it in an airy, shady place to prevent scorching during the final stage of drying.
Be sure to bring the dryer indoors at night if the temperature drops more than 20 degrees
F. Dew and sudden temperature change put moisture back into the food and lengthen the
drying time. Fruits and vegetables take 3 to 7 days to dry in the sun. The length of time
depends on the type of food and the atmospheric conditions. Natural heat is slower and
less dependable than controlled drying in an oven or food dryer.

4. Factors that affect drying rate.

Factors affecting food drying
There are three major factors affecting food drying: temperature, humidity and air flow.
They are interactive. Increasing the vent area by opening vent covers will decrease the
temperature and increase the air flow, without having a great effect on the relative
humidity of the entering air. In general more air flow is desired in the early stages of
drying to remove free water or water around the cells and on the surface. Reducing the
vent area by partially closing the vent covers will increase the temperature and decrease
the relative humidity of the entering air and the air flow. This would be the preferred set
up during the later stages of drying when the bound water needs to be driven out of the
cells and to the surface.

5. Problems encountered in drying.

Table 1. Remedies For Drying Problems

Problems Cause Prevention

Incomplete drying. Test several pieces for dryness.

Food cut unevenly, thus incomplete drying. Cut food evenly.

Moisture in the
Jar or Container
Dried food left at room temperature too
long after cooling and moisture re-entered Cool quickly and package.
the food.

Incomplete drying. Test several pieces for dryness.

Check container within one week for

Food not checked for moisture within a
moisture in containers. Re-dry food at
week.
140 ºF until dry.

Containers not airtight. Use airtight containers.

Mold on Food

Storage temperature too warm plus Store foods in coolest area of home
moisture in foods. below 70 ºF.

Case hardening. Food dried at too high a

temperature and food cooked on outside Dry food at 140 ºF.
before the inside dried.

Too-high drying temperature used. Dry vegetables at 140 ºF

Brown Spots on
Vegetables
Vegetables over-dried. Check periodically for dryness.

Lids do nt completely fit jars. Use new canning lids.

Insects in Jars
Foods dried out-of-doors but not Pasteurize foods in oven at 160 ºF for
pasteurized. 30 minutes or in freezer for 48 hours.

Avoid use of plastic bags except when

Holes in Plastic
Insects or rodents eat through plastic bags. food can be stored in refrigerator or
Bags
freezer.
6. Effect of drying on the nutritional value of meat, milk, fruits and vegetables.

Meat was originally processed to preserve it, but since the various procedures cause so
many changes in texture and flavour it is also a means of adding variety to the diet.
Processing also provides scope to mix the less desirable parts of the carcass with lean
meat and in addition is a means of extending meat supplies by including other foodstuffs
such as cereal in the product. Meat is a highly perishable products and soon becomes
unfit to eat and possibly dangerous to health through microbial growth, chemical change
and breakdown by endogenous enzymes. These processes can be curtailed by reducing
the temperature sufficiently to slow down or inhibit the growth of micro-organisms, by
heating to destroy organisms and enzymes (cooking, canning), or by removal of water by
drying or osmotic control (binding the water with salt or other substances so that it
becomes unavailable to the organisms). It is also possible to use chemicals to inhibit
growth and, very recently, ionising radiation (however, the last is not allowed in some
countries). Traditional methods that have been used for thousands of years involve drying
in wind and sun, salting and smoking. Canning dates from early in the 19th century and
allows food to be stored for many years since it is sterilised and protected from
recontamination.

Milk

Five different brands of dry milk and freeze dried milk were used in rat feeding trials to
study their nutritive value and to assess the effect of the drying process on their nutritive
value by using growth response, weight gain, food efficiency and relative nutritive value
(RNV). Brand I milk gave better growth response, weight gain and food efficiency than
any other dry milk studied, while brand V gave the least values. Freeze dried milk gave
better growth response, weight gain and food efficiency than brand I milk. Using Slope-
ratio assay, freeze dried milk gave the best RNV compared to all dry milks tested on the
basis of the two response parameters used, weight gain and moisture gain.

Fruits and Vegetables

There are various aspects that must be considered when drying small fruits, whether for
the food or nutraceutical and functional food industries. Fruits with a waxy skin, such as
blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.), and
cherry tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) are the focus of this discussion. These
fruits have each been implicated to offer health benefits beyond basic nutritional
requirements, and may require special pre- treatment(s) to reduce the impermeability of
their skin to moisture movement. A system which minimizes exposure to light, oxidation
and heat, (i.e. high heat (70C) and shorter time duration) may help conserve critical
bioactive compounds. This review focuses upon conventional and new drying
technologies and pre-treatment methods based upon drying efficiency, quality
preservation, and cost

7. Effects of drying on CHO, Protein, Lipids, Microorganisms, enzymes, and food pigments
of fruits.
http://www.tdcdryers.com/Public/DryerUniversity/Dryers101TypesofDryingSystems/index.cfm
http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/~vista/html_pubs/DRYING/dryfood.html#methods
http://www.ecosustainablevillage.com/solar_food_drying.htm
http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/food/food_safety/preservation/hgic3080.html
http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0562e/t0562e03.htm