Progress 04/01/17 to 03/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Small and mid-size growers, and gardeners of specialty crops. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Workshops and presentations were made as follows: "Agricultural Technology - Solar Applications" (June 2019) "Sustainable Agriculture - Research and Development" (September 2019) "Innovative Technology and Potential for the Hemp Industry" (February 2021) "Global Natural Resource Conservation Technology" (April 2022) USDA Rural Development Workshop - Renewable Energy Initiatives Tour (August 2024) Leadership Robins and Leadership Georgia - Technology Applications in Agriculture Presentation/Workshop (July 2024) Fort Valley State University Annual Agricultural Field Day (September 2024) How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Some results and the technologies tested have been presented at extension workshops and conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project demonstrated the economic value of drying specialty crops by small growers and tested the performance of two solar dryers for selected fruits and vegetables in Indiana and Georgia. The PI and co-PI also engaged with a research engineer at the Western PacificResearch Lab in Albany, CA. The following research objectives (Objective 2) were: Determine the heat gain to the solar thermal collector when the solar thermal collector fans were operated at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of their full load under various less ideal spring weather conditions Determine the heat gain to the drying chamber when the solar thermal collector fans were operated at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of their full load under various less ideal spring weather conditions Determine the heat transfer losses based on Objectives 1 and 2. Key findings: The heat gain in the drying chamber is a function of the daily ambient temperature and the heating coil fan airflow The largest heat gain of the chamber over the ambient was during a partially cloudy day when the ambient air temperature was 18oC and the chamber temperature rose to 44.6oC (147% chamber heat gain over the ambient). Heat gain inside the chamber is enough to dry products under Spring conditions. This study found that the summer tests by Ramirez-Gutierrez (2019) were not conducted under optimal fan (airflow) setting. Further studies are necessary to quantify the relationship between the fan operating speed and heat gain. Given the amount of heat losses from the solar thermal collector to the dryer chamber, airtightness of the dryer chamber should be an important design parameter. The overall outcome of this effort provided knowledge on the drying of speciality crops using solar dryers.
Publications
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Progress 04/01/22 to 03/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:This report is for researchers, extension educators and growers of specialty crops. Changes/Problems:The change in 2023 was needed in order to test the solar dehydrator under less than ideal solar conditions occuring in the spring compared to ideal conditions in the summer, whichhad been previously tested. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Trained an undergraduate and graduate student who conducted this research under the supervision of the PI. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The results will be applied to improve the design of the solar dehydrator in collaboration with the industry partner.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Three manuscripts are still in revision. We continue to progress on write-up and submission of the three manuscripts. For 2023, the goal of this project was to understand how the operational settings of the fans affect the thermal gain to the drying chamber of the cabinet solar dryer, Dehymeleon™ under less ideal spring conditions The Objectives of the research study were: Determine the heat gain to the solar thermal collector when the solar thermal collector fans were operated at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of their full load under various less ideal spring weather conditions Determine the heat gain to the drying chamber when the solar thermal collector fans were operated at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of their full load under various less ideal spring weather conditions Determine the heat transfer losses based on Objectives 1 and 2. Key findings: - The heat gain in the drying chamber is a function of the daily ambient temperature and the heating coil fan airflow - The largest heat gain of the chamber over the ambient was during a partially cloudy day when the ambient air temperature was 18oC and the chamber temperature rose to 44.6oC (147% chamber heat gain over the ambient). - Heat gain inside the chamber is enough to dry products under Spring conditions. - This study found that the summer tests by Ramirez-Gutierrez (2019) may have not been conducted under optimal fan (airflow) setting. - Further studies are necessary to quantify the relationship between the fan operating speed and heat gain. - Given the amount of heat losses from the solar thermal collector to the dryer chamber, airtightness of the dryer chamber should be an important design parameter.
Publications
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Progress 04/01/21 to 03/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Specialty crop growers of small and mid-sized farms. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The study conducted as part of this project by Torres et al. (2021) indicated that having support from farmers adopting value-added drying technologies influenced the adoption of these technologies by farmers to dry speciality crops. While, we have conducted several field days, exhibited solar drying technologies and presented solar drying of speciality crops at extension meeting, we are yet to actively conduct a workshop were participants would be provided the means for them to test out solar drying. This we intend to do in 2022. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated through presentations at extension meetings and exhibitions at extension field days. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The study conducted as part of this project by Torres et al. (2021) indicated that having support from farmers adopting value-added drying technologies influenced the adoption of these technologies by farmers to dry speciality crops. Therefore, in 2022, we are planning to conduct a workshop in both West Lafayette and Fort Valley to demostrate solar drying using a portable solar dryer (Dehytray), and encourage participating farmers to try out solar drying of some of their specialty crops during the summer period using the Dehytray.We would then reconvern back with the participating farmersin the fall to discuss their experiences, share the products they dried and get feedback on the support they would need should they intend to pursue value-addition by drying. Depending on cost and available budget, samples would be sent to a lab to test the nutritive value and microbial loads of the crops dried. Surveys in the spring and fall would be conducted among the participating farmers. Also, we are planning to include New Mexico State University and the University of California, Davis as part of the extension workshop. We plan to complete the drafting of two or three extension publications related tovalue-addition of dried speciality crops by sun drying and three research peer-review publication on solar drying of speciality crops using a portable solar dryer.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
For Objective 1, aM.S. thesis and a related publication was completed. The M.S. thesis and publication were related to farmers adoption of value-added drying technologies for specialty crops. For Objective 2, we completed the assembly and testing of two cabinet solar dryer prototypes for use in the summer of 2022 for drying specialty crops at Purdue University in West Lafayette and Fort Valley State University in Georgia. The assembly of these two solar drying equipment was delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic. They would be used in field testing and extension field days in 2022.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
Ariana P Torres, Orlando Rodriguez, Klein Ileleji. 2021. The Adoption of Drying Added-Value Technologies in the Specialty Crop Industry. Journal of Food Distribution Research 52(1), 92-101.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Performance of novel portable solar drying technologies for small and mid-size growers of specialty crops under Indiana weather conditions. MS. Thesis by Diana Milena Ramirez-Gutierrez, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Purdue University, December 2019.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
The driver and barriers to adopt value-added technologies. MS Thesis by Orlando F. Rodriguez, Agricultural Economics, Purdue University, May 2021.
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Progress 04/01/20 to 03/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers, especially small and mid-size farms specialty crop producer. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination was conducted via Extension workshops. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Conduct sun drying studies for various specialty crops (fruits, vegetables and spices) common to Indiana and Georgia using the larger multipurpose solar dryers. These studies would be used to map the operational envelop of the multipurpose solar dryer and identify areas were it can be optimized. Pursue the publication of 3 pending research papers (already in draft stages) and 2 Extension publications (one in draft stage).
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
We investigated the factors driving (or deterring) farmers to adopt value added technologies (e.g. drying crops). Data for this project came from a 2019 web-based survey of specialty crop growers who were part of email lists of grower associations and the Food Industry Market database. The databases provided us with 3,487 email addresses of growers located in 32 states (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming). The compiled list of growers was screened to eliminate duplicate entries and operations. These databases facilitated the access of a wide variety of growers selling in direct-to-consumer (DTC) market channels, intermediate markets, and wholesale outlets. DTC markets are those where the farmer sells directly to consumers such as farmers markets (Torres et al., 2016), while intermediate markets are those where the farmer sells to local restaurants or retailers. Lastly, wholesale outlets are those where the farmers sell to processors, distributors, and wholesalers (Woods et al., 2013). A web-based survey was conducted using a mixed-mode design. To increase participation rate, we included an incentive of a ten-dollar gift card to the first thousand farmers who completed the survey. Dillman et al. (2014) reported that including token incentives is likely to increase online survey participation. We sent three email reminders with intervals of two weeks between March and April 2019. A total of 696 farmers completed the survey, for a response rate of 20%. The questionnaire included questions related to farmer's demographics (i.e. educational attainment, gender, farming experience), farm characteristics (i.e. crops, markets, and growing technologies), as well as farmer's beliefs and perceptions towards their farm system. The questionnaire was approved by the corresponding Institutional Review Board for compliance with ethical standards for human subjects. The subsample of this study included 570 operations growing fruits, vegetables, and culinary herbs. Operations in our sample grew between 1 and 60 crops, with an average of 14 crops. Data of the survey would be analyzed and presented at Purdue Small Farms Conference and/or Indiana Horticultural Congress. We completed and delivered twomultipurpose dryers (one each) to both Purdue Univeristy and University of Georgia. We conducted dry runs using the multipurpose solar dryer, to test the systems of both dryers. Long-term, both dryers will be used to conduct solar drying studies for various specialty crops (fruits, vegetables and spices) common to Indiana and Georgia.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2021
Citation:
D. M. Ramirez-Gutierrez, K. E. Ileleji, A. J. Deering. 2020. EVALUATION OF NOVEL PORTABLE PASSIVE AND CABINET SOLAR DRYERS IN SUN DRYING OF MINT LEAVES UNDER INDIANA WEATHER CONDITIONS. Transactions of the ASABE Vol. 64(3): 1083-1094
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Progress 04/01/19 to 03/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Researchers, extension educators and farmers Changes/Problems:The major challenge this year was postponing summer field tests, whihc delayed completing the solar cabinet dryer (Dehymeleon)because of March shut-down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate students worked on the project and were trained on value-added processing of speciality crops. Also, several undergraduate students from Purdue University, Ivy Tech Community College and Fort Valley State University worked as research interns or conducted a capstone project under this effort. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PI and co-PIs present their findings at extension events held attheir universities. At Purdue, Ileleji , Deering and Torres present their findings at the Small Farms Education Field Day. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cabinet solar dryer (Dehymeleon) was not completed on time and sodrying tests could not be conducted in the summer 2020. During the next reporting period, we would work to conduct several drying tests with the solar cabinet dryer, and the portable solar dryer (Dehytray) in both West Lafayette, Indiana and Fort Valley State University.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: We investigated the factors driving (or deterring) farmers to adopt value added technologies (e.g. drying crops). Data for this project came from a 2019 web-based survey of specialty crop growers who were part of email lists of grower associations and the Food Industry Market database. The databases provided us with 3,487 email addresses of growers located in 32 states (Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming). The compiled list of growers was screened to eliminate duplicate entries and operations. These databases facilitated the access of a wide variety of growers selling in direct-to-consumer (DTC) market channels, intermediate markets, and wholesale outlets. DTC markets are those where the farmer sells directly to consumers such as farmers markets (Torres et al., 2016), while intermediate markets are those where the farmer sells to local restaurants or retailers. Lastly, wholesale outlets are those where the farmers sell to processors, distributors, and wholesalers (Woods et al., 2013). The web-based survey was conducted using a mixed-mode design. To increase participation rate, we included an incentive of a ten-dollar gift card to the first thousand farmers who completed the survey. Dillman et al. (2014) reported that including token incentives is likely to increase online survey participation. We sent three email reminders with intervals of two weeks between March and April 2019. A total of 696 farmers completed the survey, for a response rate of 20%. The questionnaire included questions related to farmer's demographics (i.e. educational attainment, gender, farming experience), farm characteristics (i.e. crops, markets, and growing technologies), as well as farmer's beliefs and perceptions towards their farm system. The questionnaire was approved by the corresponding Institutional Review Board for compliance with ethical standards for human subjects. The subsample of this study included 570 operations growing fruits, vegetables, and culinary herbs. Operations in our sample grew between 1 and 60 crops, with an average of 14 crops. Data from the web-based survey is used to generate the following outputs MS thesis understanding The barriers to adopt value-added technologies (e.g. drying of crops) The effect of value-added technologies on economic performance (i.e. increase in revenues) A research paper is being drafted by MS student addressing the following The barriers to adopt value-added technologies (e.g. drying of crops) The effect of value-added technologies on economic performance (i.e. increase in revenues) Objective 2: The performance of two related portable multipurpose solar dryers, a portable solar dryer - DehytrayTM and a mobile cabinet dryer - DehymeleonTM, developed by the PI at Purdue in comparison to open-air sun drying was conducted. At Purdue in West Lafayette, Indiana, field drying studies were conducted for tomatoes, apples and mint using both the portable solar dryer and mobile cabinet dryer. Also conducted at Purdue were thin layer drying tests on tomato slices, apples slices and mint leaves at three temperatures [24°C (75°F), 35°C (95°F) and 54 °C (130°F)], and an airflow velocity of 1 m/s to determine the drying kinetics of these products during diurnal drying cycles typical for solar and/or open-air sun drying. Additionally, Dr. Ileleji collaborated with Dr. Milczarek of the USDA-ARS Western Pacific lab in Albany, California in the summer 2019 to conduct field drying tests drying nectarines and tomatoes using the portable solar dryer. At Fort-Valley State University in Georgia, co-PI, Dr. Ogden and his team conducted field drying tests on blueberries, muscadines and stevia leaves using the portable solar dryer- DehytrayTM, (with and without the cover) and comparable wooden tray. Temperatures and relative humidity (RH) inside the drying chambers were recorded during drying and were dependent on the prevailing weather in each of the locations. In West Lafayette, the average temperatures achieved were 45°C (113°F), 60°C (140 °F) and 27°C (80.6 °F) for the DehymeleonTM, DehytrayTM and open-air sun drying, respectively, while the drying temperatures achieved in August-September in Fort Valley, Georgia ranged from 29.6 oC (85.3 oF) to 41.1 oC (105.9 oF). Quality attributes (color, vitamin C and microbial growth) were measured before and after the field drying tests for the study conducted in West Lafayette, Indiana. Color difference (ΔE) for DehymeleonTM cabinet solar dryer showed the least variation compared with the fresh products. In West Lafayette studies, up to 2.3 log reduction on the original microbial population on mint samples was achieved in the DehymeleonTM solar dryer compared to 0.4 log reduction in the Dehytray™ and open-air sun drying. The closed chambers of the solar dryers, DehymeleonTM and DehytrayTM enabled them to achieve high hygienic condition during drying and their portability/movability would enable their deployment to small and mid-size growers and home gardens. An MS thesis entitled "Performance of novel portable solar drying technologies for small and mid-size growers of speciality crops under Indiana weather conditions" was completed by a graduate student. Objective 3: The PI and the industry partner - JUA Technologies International worked with four undergraduate students and their professor from the Purdue Polytechnic Institute to modify the design of the solar cabinet dryer, DehymeleonTM. The modifications made were introduction of a heating coil, relocation of the heating and distribution fans and development of a controller. JUA Technologies International worked with a local machine shop to redesign the solar dehydrator, DehymeleonTM and two units were built for testing in the summer of 2020 by Purdue and Fort Valley State University. Due to closures of our campuses in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two units couldn't be completed on time for testing. Additionally, testing couldn't be conducted because of restrictions regarding working on campus.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Ramirez-Gutierrez, D and K.E. Ileleji. 2020. Evaluation of novel portable passive and cabinet solar dryers in sun drying of mint leaves under Indiana weather conditions. Transactions of the ASABE, Submitted on 0714/2020, PRS-14208-2020.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Milczarek, R.R., D.M. Ramirez Gutierrez and K. Ileleji. 2020. Prediction of Drying Rate of Nectarines from Real-Time Ambient Weather Factors
During Direct Sun Drying. Food Engineering Reviews, S.I ICEF2019_Research paper, FERE-S-19-00114.
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Progress 04/01/18 to 03/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The value-added agriculture and food processing research community, extension and specialty crop growers. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Trained 3 graduate students, 2 in agricultural and biological engineering major and 1 in agricultural economics. Trained an undergraduate student. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Conducted training and displayed solar drying technologies at three extension events. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Conduct some drying trials using several early harvested specialty crops in Georgia. Conduct drying trials in West Lafayette, California and Georgia using improved solar drying technology, Dehymeleon. Complete analysis of results for drying trials conducted in West Lafayette and California in 2018 and submit for publication in journals. Develop short videos, extension bulletins and rack cards for extension training on solar drying. Engage with stakeholders on the use of the drying technologies tested, Dehytray and Dehymeleon.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Evaluate the market, economics and processing of selected dried specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, spices and/or herbs) produced by growers in Indiana and Georgia. An MS student was hired to collect data on value-added practices (drying) of over 500 growers in the US. Preliminary data of the survey will be presented at the 2019 American Society for Horticultural Science conference regarding the drying (and other value-added) technologies adopted by specialty crop farmers. An abstract of the presentation entitled "Barriers and Drivers of Value-Added Technology Adoption" has been submitted. Objective 2: Conduct a field station trial on drying the selected crops in Objectives 1 using the multipurpose solar dehydrator developed at Purdue University. Thin-layer drying experiments to determine the inherent drying rates of selected specialty crops by simulating diurnal changes in temperatures were conducted for tomato, apple, mint, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, chilli pepper, and blueberries. Three temperature regimes (24, 35 and 54 oC) were used in the thin-layer drying experiments based on the chamber temperatures recorded in the multipurpose cabinet solar dryer (Dehymeleon) conducted in West-Lafayette, Indiana. The insight from these lab experiments was used to understand the drying rates of these crops under the three temperature regimes used. Maintaining chamber temperatures between 35 to 54oC was crucial to sustaining a rapid falling rate that drastically reduced moisture ratio from 1.0 to below 0.2 in 400 minutes (6.7 h). Under solar drying, crops would experience several falling drying rates based on prevailing diurnal temperatures. Our goal is to optimize our solar dryer heating and heat distribution mechanisms such that we maintain optimum chamber temperatures to achieve rapid constant drying rates. Field studies were carried out in the summer of 2018 (May to August) using two solar drying technologies (Dehytray and Dehymeleon) developed at Purdue University and commercialized by our industry collaborator, JUA Technologies International. The Dehytray is a portable solar dryer, while the Dehymeleon (version 3) is a larger cabinet solar dryer that hold 10 Dehytrays stacked five tray high and placed side-by-side in the dryer. Other factors investigated in this study were the effect of pretreatment with citric acid (using 5% lemon dip) on enzymatic browning of dried apple slices as measured using a Konica Minolta C400 colorimeter, and effect of temperature on vitamin C retention and microbial activity. Not all the crops dried need to be pretreated with citric acid. For garlic, the effect of pretreatment on allicin degradation and color change was investigated, as well as the drying kinetics of garlic under different pretreatment methods. An in-depth study of the performance of the Dehytray and Dehymeleon solar dryers for drying tomato, apple and mint was the focus of an MS thesis. This study investigated performance based on drying rates, color change, vitamin C and total phenols, antioxidant activity and microbial activity. The MS student is schedule to graduate in the fall of 2019 and intends to pursue this work further at the PhD level. Overall, the results showed the benefits and limitations of both solar drying technologies, and the types of preparations (washing, slicing, pretreatments, etc.) necessary to appropriately dehydrate fruits and vegetables. Additionally, some studies were carried out using the Dehytray to dry nectarines and tomatoes in collaboration with Dr. Miczarek at the USDA-ARS Lab in Albany, California and on a 143 acre organic farm (Frog Hollow Farm in Brentwood, California). At Georgia, Fort Valley State University (FVSU) tested the solar drying of blueberries and muscadines using the Dehytray in the fall of 2018, but could not conduct tests using persimmons due to late harvest when ambient temperatures were too low for solar or sun drying. Upon crop selection of blueberries (Rabbit eye variety) and muscadines (Late Fry variety), protocols for sample preparation, cleaning Dehytrays and drying tests were developed. Smaller crops (blueberries) were successfully dried in the Detytrays to safe storage conditions for drying tests conducted early October. However, muscadines did not dry to safe storage conditions prior to spoilage during trials in late October through November when temperatures dropped below 21oC (70oF). Late crop harvest and subsequent late drying trials of persimmons prompted us to omit drying tests using persimmons. We have decided to replace muscadines and persimmons with blackberries and peaches for earlier harvest (July) in Year 2 drying trials. Additionally, we intend to conduct solar drying tests on herbal/medicinal plants found in Georgia. This project is training an MS level student at Purdue University (funded by the project), who would proceed on to pursue a PhD. In the past year, an undergraduate level intern from a local community college in Indiana (Ivy Tech, funded by the project in the summer) and a visiting scholar (PhD level student from China, not funded by the project) worked on this project at Purdue University, as well as several undergraduate students at FVSU. Objective 3: Based on Objective 2, work with the industry collaborator (JUA Technologies International LLC, JTI) to refine solar dryer design to meet small growers' capacity needs and drying requirements, and provide a final product for field testing. The project team members from Purdue University and FVSU continue to collaborate with JUA Technologies International to test the solar drying technologies, Dehytray and Dehymeleon. Purdue University participated at the following events (displayed equipment and posters) that engaged with small growers of specialty crops and stakeholders on solar drying of specialty crops: 1. Illiana Vegetable Growers Symposium Tuesday, January 8, 2019, Schererville, Indiana 2. 7th Annual Indiana Small Farms Conference, Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds, February 28 to March 2, Danville, Indiana 3. Small Farm Education Field Day, Thursday August 30th. Additionally, research was presented (oral and poster) at the ASABE Annual International Meeting held in Detroit, Michigan.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
1. Zhao. Z., K.E. Ileleji, D.M. Ramirez Gutierrez and Z. Zheng. 2018. Effect of pretreatment on allicin degradation and color change in the dehydration of garlic, ASABE Paper No. 1800951. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE. Annual International Meeting, 29 July-1 August, Detroit, MI.
2. Ramirez Gutierrez, D.M, Z. Zhao and K.E. Ileleji. 2018. Applying thin-layer drying principles to optimize solar drying of apples, ASABE Paper No. 1800847. St. Joseph, Mich.: ASABE. Annual International Meeting, 29 July-1 August, Detroit, MI.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
1. Zhao. Z., K.E. Ileleji, D.M. Ramirez Gutierrez and Z. Zheng. 2019. Effect of pretreatment on allicin degradation and color change in the dehydration of garlic. Transactions of the ASABE, PRS-13227-2018R1, Submitted on November 15, 2018 (In Review).
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Progress 04/01/17 to 03/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Researchers and stakeholders interested in crop and food dehydration. Changes/Problems:Based on comments from the proposal reviewers about the potential for solar drying of specialty crops in California, the PI and co-PI from FVSU contacted Dr. Rebecca Milczarek, Research Agricultural Engineer of the Healthy Processed Foods Research Unit, USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center based in Albany, California to explore collaboration with the ARS in conducting test trials in California. The team and JTI will begin collaborating with the ARS lab in Albany in the summer of 2018, expanding tests to California with the ARS, and growers of specialty crops there. This collaboration will expand the test sites to one of the states in the country with abundance solar, which is also one of the major producers of specialty crops in the US. Therefore data of solar drying generated in this project would cover a state in the Midwest, a state in the South and a state in the West. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The project team members from Purdue University and FVSU participated in two events were they gave presentations on the project specifically to small growers highlighting the benefits of solar drying of specialty crops. The events were: (1) 2018 Indiana Small Farms Conference, March 1-3, Danville, Indiana where they made one presentation, presented two posters and staged an exhibit; (2) 2018 Farm, Home and Ministers Conference, March 29 at Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, George were they made one presentation and posted and exhibit. The PI and co-PI interacted with a number of small growers at these events to learn about the various specialty crops that are grown on their farms for which they have interest in dehydrating (drying). Based on comments from the proposal reviewers about the potential for solar drying of specialty crops in California, the PI and co-PI from FVSU contacted Dr. Rebecca Milczarek, Research Agricultural Engineer of the Healthy Processed Foods Research Unit, USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center based in Albany, California to explore collaboration with the ARS in conducting test trials in California. The team and JTI will begin collaborating with the ARS lab in Albany in the summer of 2018, expanding tests to California with the ARS, and growers of specialty crops there. This collaboration will expand the test sites to one of the states in the country with abundance solar, which is also one of the major producers of specialty crops in the US. Therefore data of solar drying generated in this project would cover a state in the Midwest, a state in the South and a state in the West. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Conduct field tests on dehydration of tomatoes, peppers, apples, mushrooms, mint and garlic in Indiana and blueberries, persimmons and muscadines in Georgia using the DEHYTRAY™. Field tests on the use of a prototype of the DEHYMELEON™ will be conducted in Indiana alone. Additionally, we would work with USDA-ARS lab in Albany to conduct field tests on selected specialty crops in California. Field test will measure the performance of these dehydration technologies on product quality as measured by microbial tests, color and vitamin content. The results of these tests will be presented at various agricultural field days, workshops and exhibits in collaboration with Purdue and FVSU Extension and JTI (industry partner).
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: A survey questionnaire is being developed to determine the barriers that specialty crop farmers face when adopting value-added technologies for local produce. The literature on technology adoption of agricultural enterprises has been read and used to develop a questionnaire that includes value-added technologies beyond drying. The questionnaire will allow us to measure the added-value technologies adopted by specialty crop farmers in the US, such as washing, cutting, drying and labeling fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The questionnaire includes questions regarding production practices, other enterprises, the importance of dried crops on farm income, and other technologies that add to farm profitability. We are considering a range of possible factors that include individual, household, community (social interactions), and farm characteristics that may drive a farmer to adopt (or not) a value-added technology or bundle of technologies. Survey development and testing will continue until December of 2018. A master student will be hired in the Fall 2018 to contribute to test the questionnaire. Survey is expected to be administered in January-March 2019, with data analysis starting in April 2019. Expected outcomes from the survey will include a detailed characterization of value-added technologies adopted by US specialty crop farmers, and their drivers and barriers to wash, cut, dry, and/or label their produce. Objective 2: Thin-layer drying experiments to determine the inherent drying rates of selected specialty crops that would be investigated in this project was conducted. The crops selected based on input from Extension educators on the project and some small growers were: tomatoes, peppers, apples, mushrooms, mint and garlic in Indiana. These crops cover a span of growing season from June to December in Indiana. For the state of Georgia, Fort Valley State University (FVSU) would be testing blueberries, persimmons and muscadines. We also intend identifying some herbal/medicinal plants that will be tested by the co-PI (Ogden) at FVSU. With respect to the thin-layer drying tests conducted at Purdue University (Ileleji), the drying rate differed by crop type and in some cases such as garlic was influenced by the pretreatment method prior to drying. For most crops dried, most of the moisture was released within the first 3 to 6 hours, after which moisture lost flattened out with time. Thin-layer drying models from these crops tested were developed. The information from the drying curves provides good insight on how to strategize optimizing the solar dryer control system in order to optimally utilize the prevailing thermal loads on the solar dryer device (DEHYMELEON™). In the summer 2018, the industry partner, JUA Technologies International (JTI) will be providing their solar device, the DEHYTRAY™, a solar drying tray, to the team for use in sun drying the various crops listed in Indiana and Georgia. Additionally, JTI is working with the team (at Purdue and FVSU) to conduct tests on their solar dryer device (DEHYMELEON™), which is still under R&D. Results on drying performance and product quality (microbial, nutrition and color) for both the DEHYTRAY™ and DEHYMELEON™ will be generated during the 2018 summer to fall periods. The project is training an MS level student at Purdue University (funded by the project), an undergraduate level intern from a local community college (Ivy Tech, funded by the project in the summer) and a visiting scholar (PhD level student from China, not funded by the project) Objective 3: JUA Technologies International (JTI) has provided the team access to their technologies, both the DEHYTRAY™ and DEHYMELEON™, which would be used in conducting field tests of solar drying of specialty crops during the 2018 summer to fall periods. JTI will be working with the team to assess the performance of these technologies on the quality of dehydrated specialty crops, with the goal of meeting quality specifications demanded by the market.
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