Quality characteristic of dried anchovy (Stollephorus sp) produced by using solar dryer equipment as the traditional method development

Abstract

Dried anchovy is a prospecting product from Buru Island Maluku which is produced traditionally by spreading on the ground under the sun with a used net as a base. Effort to develop that method is needed to meet the increasingly stringent standard of sanitation and hygiene food products, especially for modern and export markets. Three types of solar drying equipment as the traditional method development were applied to produce dried anchovy and the product characteristic was investigated. The two enclosed solar dryers walled and roofed using plastic with multilevel racks and drying space forms a tunnel dryer system. One of them using transparent plastic and another using blue plastic. The third equipment is "para-para" (local called for bamboo or wood arranged side by side horizontally with an altitude roughly 1.25 meter above the ground) roofed using blue tarpaulin plastic. The characteristics of dried anchovy produced by using solar dryer equipment are better than traditional drying method product, especially organoleptic, insoluble acid ash content and total bacterial. Dried anchovy with the better quality characteristic will be reach the wider distribution and higher segment market.