Drying of Garlic Leads to Value Addition

Drying is a critical step in the processing of dehydrated products because of the high energy requirement of the process (due to low thermal efficiency of dryers. Increased consumer awareness of food quality as well as the desire to produce a high quality have emphasized the necessity of optimization. Various methods are employed for drying of garlic which have their merits and demerits. Convection drying is employed for heat and mass transfer coefficient and to study the moistures transport during microwave-convective drying of garlic cloves. It a mechanical process but not feasible operating cost and initial cost. Drying is an industrial preservation method in which water content and water activity of the fruits and vegetables are decreased by heated air to minimized biological, chemical and microbial deterioration. Drying is a process of simultaneous heat and mass transfer. Mathematical modelling help to of drying process help in understanding the physics of drying. At this moisture level, the chances of insects and molds infestation are minimized and thus the commonly can keep well in storage. To obtain the dehydrated product of high quality, the drying process should be such that it allows effective retention of colour appearance, flavour, taste and nutritive value, comparable to fresh vegetables.