Drying of Fruits With Solar Tunnel Dryer

Drying vegetables and fruits means the decreasing of natural water content down to a level that the activity of micro organisms is stopped without destroying any tissue or affecting the edibility of the produce. Used initially in domestic farms for personal needs, this method (known as the oldest conservation method for vegetables and fruits) has extended itself to an industrial level, the purpose being an increasing demand of such produce on the market. The phenomena that takes place during drying process leads to a higher concentration of the dried matter, a reduction of the initial volume, an increase of alimentary value per weight unit and more or less profound physical and chemical changes in cell components and membrane. The loss of water content from vegetables and fruits might go through natural drying or artificial drying. The difference is the nature of thermal energy used: a. solar energy and b. burning fossil fuels A tunnel solar dryer has been tested in Romania and also some varieties of plums have been dried.