Simulation of natural drying kinetics of carrot (Daucus carota L) on thickness variation

Abstract

Drying is an easy method to apply and dependent on the type of sample on drying in food preservation. Natural drying uses simple materials and equipment. Sunlight uses as an energy resource to dry the sample. In this research, carrot used as drying samples with thickness variations. After 8 days, the largest weight loss value was found in sample 3 with a total reduction of 16.76 mg then, sample 2 was 8.64 mg and sample 3 was 5.10 mg. The best conditions for drying materials are open with directly exposed to direct sunlight with the average temperature was 31 °C. That was in comparing with sample in a room condition naturally at 27 °C and during raining at 25 °C. This study obtained that the kinetic drying models on carrot impacted by the sample thickness, the adding of drying time, and temperature of the drying operation area.