Abstract
A solar drying was investigated as one of perspective techniques for fish processing in Cambodia. The solar drying was compared to conventional drying in electric oven. Five typical Cambodian fish species were selected for this study. Mean solar drying temperature and drying air relative humidity were 55.6°C and 19.9%, respectively. The overall solar dryer efficiency was 12.37%, which is typical for natural convection solar dryers. An average evaporative capacity of solar dryer was 0.049 kg·h−1. Based on coefficient of determination (R 2), chi-square (χ 2) test, and root-mean-square error (RMSE), the most suitable models describing natural convection solar drying kinetics were Logarithmic model, Diffusion approximate model, and Two-term model for climbing perch and Nile tilapia, swamp eel and walking catfish and Channa fish, respectively. In case of electric oven drying, the Modified Page 1 model shows the best results for all investigated fish species except Channa fish where the two-term model is the best one. Sensory evaluation shows that most preferable fish is climbing perch, followed by Nile tilapia and walking catfish. This study brings new knowledge about drying kinetics of fresh water fish species in Cambodia and confirms the solar drying as acceptable technology for fish processing.
Highlights
IntroductionAdvances in information technology, and ever increasing globalization, a great part of the population in developing countries suffers from lack of access to electricity
Despite continued technological development, advances in information technology, and ever increasing globalization, a great part of the population in developing countries suffers from lack of access to electricity
The lowest drying rate was observed in case of Nile tilapia followed by walking catfish
Summary
Advances in information technology, and ever increasing globalization, a great part of the population in developing countries suffers from lack of access to electricity. More than 85% of the population in Cambodia is strongly dependent on agriculture, from which freshwater aquaculture is one of most important sources of food production [2, 3]. The benefits to farmers themselves are in allowing them to maintain a constant price of their products, improving their bargaining position and widening their possible market [5,6,7]. Many preservation techniques such as fermenting, smoking, frying, salting, and conversion into fish sauce or paste have been developed. Solar drying is one of the most attractive and promising solar energy systems, as it is simple, does not require much initial investment, and can be
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