Using some mathematical models in modeling mushroom drying (agaricus bisporus)

Abstract

In the present study, a thin-layer drying kinetics of Agaricus bisporus mushroom was experimentally investigated in convective dryer. Experiments were performed at air temperatures of 35 °C, 45 °C, and 55 °C and constant air velocity of 2 m s-1. In order to select a suitable form of the drying curve, 11 different mathematical models were fitted to experimental data. The high values of coefficient of determination (R2) and the low values of reduced chi-square (χ2 and root mean square error (RMSE) indicated that the Modi-fied Henderson and Pabis model could satisfactorily illustrate the drying curve of Agaricus bisporus mushroom. The Modified Henderson and Pabis model had the highest value of R2 (0.9990), the lowest 2 (0.0001) and RMSE (0.0092). Fick's second law was used to calculate the effective moisture diffusivity. The moisture diffusion coefficient varied between 1.4970x10-8 and 2.7222x10-8 m2 s-1 for the given temperature range and corresponding activation energy was 25.1648 kJ mol-1. There is an interest in information regarding the most suitable conditions for the different types mushrooms drying process. All the studies, experiments and analyzes performed by the authors are a basis for creating a Web-based platform with the help of which the most suitable drying model can be offered when specifying the mushrooms type and the drying parameters. The Web-based platform will be able to add new data and analyze it automatically which will allow the platform self-improvement.