Open AccessEffect of Temperature and Slice Size on Avocado Pulp Drying Rate and Oil Yield
Author(s) -
Abraham T. Temu
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
tanzania journal of engineering and technology/tanzania journal of engeering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1821-536X
pISSN - 2619-8789
DOI - 10.52339/tjet.v34i2.464
Subject(s) - pulp (tooth) , water content , moisture , materials science , yield (engineering) , pulp and paper industry , chemistry , composite material , pathology , engineering , medicine , geotechnical engineering
The effect of temperature and slice thickness on avocado pulp drying rate and oil yield was determined at 50 o C, 60 o C and 70 o C. Pulp slices of 2mm and 5 mm thick were used. The avocado pulp was found to contain 74-75% (wet basis) water, which makes extraction of oil by both chemical and mechanical means difficult. Experimental results showed that oil yield increased with decreasing moisture content reaching a yield of 61% at 10% moisture content. The rate of drying increased with temperature, but decreased with slice thickness. The drying data obtained agreed well with several thin-layer drying models. The models showed that the characteristic drying constant increased linearly with drying temperature and decreased with slice thickness. The Physico-chemical properties of the obtained oil compared favorably with those obtained from other conventional seed oils.