Estudo da influência da secagem convectiva sobre a umidade final da folha do abacateiro

Abstract

The excessive amount of moisture in plants (leaves) favors the action of enzymes, leading to the degradation of chemical components and promoting the growth of fungi and bacteria. The drying of the avocado leaf can promote the removal of this moisture and favor the preservation of its physical and chemical properties for a longer period. In this context, this work aimed to study the influence of convective drying on the final moisture of the avocado (Persea Americana Mill.) leaf, using a centrally rotated composite cubic design (CCCR) through the Statistica 13.5 software, for verification of optimal drying conditions. The experiments were carried out in a forced convection oven with air renewal, to obtain the drying kinetic curve and verify the operational variables (drying temperature and material load) in the final moisture of the material. The study showed that temperature is the operational variable that significantly influences the drying process, identified by the Pareto graph, ANOVA and response surface.