DOI: 10.36347/sjet

Pages: 701-706

Effect of boiling, thickness (0.5 and 1cm) and temperature on drying time of Dioscorea bulbifera was investigated in a fabricated hot air drier at a temperature range of 50 -70°C. . The drying process was conducted in triplicates and average values recorded. The average moisture ratio was used to plot the drying characteristics curves for the temperature range studied with dimensionless moisture ratio against drying time. Drying took place mainly in the falling rate period whiles increased slab thickness influenced drying time for both the boiled and fresh yam slabs at all temperatures. Boiling was shown to have led to a decrease in the rate of moisture movement which led to increase in drying time of the yam slice at both thicknesses (0.5, 1cm). Drying time subsequently reduced with increase in hot air temperature. 70°C is therefore recommended for drying aerial yam. These results will provide food processors with information to determine the best processing conditions for the dioscorea bulbifera which will finally lead to elimination of waste.