Statistical Modelling And Optimization Of The Drying Characteristics Of Musa Paradisiaca (Unripe Plantain)

Statistical Modelling And Optimization Of The Drying Characteristics Of Musa Paradisiaca (Unripe Plantain)

Chapter One

Preface

. Background Of Study

Drying is presumably the oldest and the most important system of food preservation rehearsed by humans. This process improves the food stability, since it reduces vastly the water and microbiological exertion of the material and minimizes physical and chemical changes during its storehouse.

Musa paradisiacal( callow plantain) is an important chief food in Central and West Africa, which along with bananas provides 60 million people with 25 of their calories. According to FAO,( 2004), over2.11 million metric tons of plantain is produced in Nigeria annually. Plantain for original consumption, plays a part in food and income security and has the implicit to contribute to public food security and reduce pastoral poverty.

callow plantain has rich iron nutrient content( Aremu, etal., 1990). still, they’re largely perishable and subject to fast downfalls, as their humidity contents and high metabolic exertion persist after crop( Demirel, etal., 2003).

Moreso, about 35- 60post-harvest losses had been reported and attributed to lack of storehouse installations and unhappy technologies for food processing. Air drying alone or together with sun drying is largely used for conserving unripe plantain. Besides helping preservation, drying adds value to plantain.

Problem Statement

Drying consists of a critical step by reducing the water exertion of the products being dried. Hot air drying of agrarian products is one of the most popular preservation styles because of its simplicity and low cost. Thin subcaste drying is a common system and extensively used for fruits and vegetables to protract their shelf life.

still, drying of any food substance is an energy ferocious operation with grave artificial consequences, and must be performed with optimal energy application.

This design work seeks to ascertain the stylish thin subcaste model and the temperature and slice consistence that optimizes time.

. Ideal Of Study

The objects of this work are to;

Ascertain the type of thin- subcaste model that stylish fits the humidity rate/ time data during the drying of callow plantain.

To determine the temperature and slice consistence that optimizes time( i.e. gives the shortest drying time).

defense

product of plantain is seasonal while consumption is all time round and thus there’s the need to cut down onpost-harvest losses by recycling them into forms with reduced humidity content.

This agrarian product has high humidity content at crop and thus can not be saved for further than some many days under ambient conditions of 20oC – 25oC( Chua, etal., 2001). Thispost-harvest loss results in seasonal attainability and limitations on the use by civic populations. Plantain has still been having an adding fat product since 2001( Dankye, etal., 2007). It’s estimated that in 2015, there will be a fat of about 852,000 Mt. This means that these overpluses have to be exported, reused or go to waste.

A reduction in humidity content potentially increases shelf life and hence prevents inordinatepost-harvest loss and that drying is an volition to developing nations, where there’s deterioration due to poor storehouse, rainfall conditions and recycling installations

Compass Of Study

The compass of this design work includes the following

Using the ten named thin subcaste models to probe the bone that stylish fits the data generated from drying of callow plantain at specified temperatures, slice density, and drying time.

Using retrogression analysis to gain the slice consistence and temperature for the optimum( minimal) drying time.