Effect of Solar Drying on the Nutritive Value of Fenugreek Leaves
S. R. Navale1, Upasni Supriya2, V. M. Harpale3, K. C. Mohite4
1S. R. Navale, Department of Physics, S.N. Arts, D.J.M. Commerce and B.N.S. Science College Sangamner, (M.S), India.
2Upasni Supriya, Department of Physics, AISSMS, College of Engineering, Pune, (M.S), India.
3V. M. Harpale, Department of Physics, Ahmednagar College, Ahmednagar, India.
4K. C. Mohite, Department of Physics, H.V. Desai College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Pune, (M.S), India.
Manuscript received on November 22, 2014. | Revised Manuscript received on December 02, 2014. | Manuscript published on December 30, 2014. | PP: 133-136 | Volume-4 Issue-2, December 2014. | Retrieval Number:  B3629124214/2013©BEIESP

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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Abstract: A cabinet solar dryer with varying width of chimney has been designed and fabricated. In this work an attempt has been made to evaluate the performance of cabinet solar dryer (CSD) and open sun drying (OSD) to dry the fenugreek leaves. Result obtained showed that drying time for cabinet solar drying was found 43% less than that of open sun drying. After drying, samples were powdered and nutritive tests were carried out at national agricultural and Food research institute (NAFARI) .The results showed significant increase in the nutrients studied of the dried samples except for vitamin C. The quantitative retention of nutrients like, energy, carbohydrates, calcium and sodium was found 4%, 2.5%, 66.47%, and181.66% more in sample dried in cabinet solar dryer as compared to open sun.
Keywords: Cabinet solar dryer, Open sun drying, fenugreek, Nutrients.