Abstract
ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of a drying method with intermittent ratios on the effective drying time, specific energy consumption and essential oil yield of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) leaves. The drying tests were conducted at the Postharvest Laboratory of Medicinal, Aromatic and Condiment Plants, from the Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil (20° 46’ 13.5” S; 42° 52’ 23.3” W, and altitude of 645 m) in October and November 2017. The experiment was conducted by using a 3 × 4 factorial scheme including three drying temperatures at 50, 60 and 70 °C, with four drying processes: continuous drying and the following three intermittent drying/tempering ratios in minutes: 10/20, 15/15 and 20/10. The design was completely randomized and with three repetitions. The application of the 10/20 intermittent ratio reduced the effective drying time and the specific energy consumption. Regarding the essential oil yield, the use of the intermittence presented different results for each temperature of drying; the highest yields were observed with continuous drying at 50 °C and drying with the 20/10 intermittent ratio at 60 °C. The results indicate that intermittent drying at 50 °C is not recommended to preserve essential oil yields.
Highlights
The clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) species, belonging to the family Lamiacea, is used in popular medicine for the treatment of several ailments such as respiratory disease, skin disease, diarrhea and conjunctivitis (Onajobi, 1986)
This study investigated the effect of a drying method with intermittent ratios on the effective drying time, specific energy consumption and essential oil yield of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) leaves
The results indicate that intermittent drying at 50 °C is not recommended to preserve essential oil yields
Summary
The clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) species, belonging to the family Lamiacea, is used in popular medicine for the treatment of several ailments such as respiratory disease, skin disease, diarrhea and conjunctivitis (Onajobi, 1986). Most medicinal plant species contain heat-sensitive cell structures and compounds; the drying process can cause thermal damage and degradation or volatilization of the active ingredients of medicinal interest (Esturk, 2012; Chakraborty & Dey, 2016; Gasparin et al, 2017). To address this problem, intermittent drying is an option whereby periods of constant drying are alternated with tempering periods (Kumar et al, 2014). Product quality standards such as color, texture and nutrient content are maintained, and the drying time and energy expenditure are reduced (Kowalski et al, 2011; Putranto et al, 2011)
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