Biomass combustor based drying of beetroot

Beetroot powder is used as natural food colourant for red colour. Beetroot were dried in a biomass combustor based dryer and quality parameter were assessed. Drying studies was performed using saw dust briquettes as fuel at different fuel consumption rate (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 kg/h), air flow rate (100, 175, 250, 325 and 400 m3/h) and slice thickness of beetroot (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 mm). All the experiments were carried out using Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) as experimental statistical design. The maximum value of combustor efficiency, ascorbic acid and crude fibre content was found as 52.12%, 12.33 mg/100g and 11.02% while optimum value of drying time and dryer temperature was found as 392 min. and 63°C at 2 kg/h fuel consumption rate, 325 m3/h air flow rate and 5 mm slice thickness of beetroot on the basis of optimized results using biomass combustor based drying system.