Avaliação da eficiência de três sistemas de secagem da banana (Musa spp.)

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the efficiency of different systems (tray, solar dryer and oven) in drying bananas (Musa spp.), with a focus on removing moisture and preserving their physical, sensory and nutritional properties. This is an applied study, with a quantitative and qualitative approach, of an experimental nature, based on a Completely Randomized Design (CID), involving 21 experimental units distributed in three drying systems, with seven repetitions each. For data collection, variables such as weight, temperature and relative humidity were monitored during the drying process, followed by physical, sensory and nutritional analysis. Statistical analysis was conducted by means of ANOVA using the R Studio software (version 4.3.2). The results showed that there were no significant differences between the systems evaluated, with the solar dryer performing best in preserving carbohydrates and reducing humidity. The oven stood out for keeping the color lighter, followed by the solar dryer, while the tray and the other systems stood out for keeping the proteins, ash and fats close to those of fresh bananas. Thus, the study points to the tray, solar dryer and greenhouse systems as being efficient, the choice and adoption of which will depend on the conditions and intention of use.