Development of Database for Drying Parameters of Some Fruit Crops in South-East Nigeria

This work is on developing a database for drying parameters of some Nigerian fruit crops: banana, guava, and plantain.Experimental data was collected and stored in a database.A relational database for drying parameters of three foodstuffs was developed using Microsoft Structured Query Language Server(MS SQL) 2012 database management system and Microsoft Visual Studio.Net 2013 framework was used for creating a web-based Graphic User Interface (front end) application for interactive query Windows for retrieving and viewing stored data.This database was intended to include specimen composition analysis, treatment of food samples before drying, drying process using a hot air oven at varying slices and temperatures, computation of effective moisture diffusivity and thermodynamic properties, and enhancement of drying variables.Each of the composition tables consists of the proximate analysis, minerals, vitamins, and energy value of the sample.The samples were sliced into different thicknesses of 0.4cm, 0.6cm, and 0.8cm.The sliced samples were pretreated with 0.5% sodium metabisulphite solution and the drying process was performed at 60 o C, 70 o C, and 80 o C.After the drying process, the dried treated slices were characterized and drying curves were plotted to show the factors that affect the rate of drying.Response Surface Methodology of Design Expert Software (Face Central Composite Design) was used to develop an experimental design matrix.Temperature, thickness, and time were the considered factors while moisture content and drying rate were the responses.The data generated from these analyses were stored in the database..