DRYING BEHAVIOR OF MUSHROOMS (Psalliota campestris Linn.)

The general objective of the study is to determine the drying behavior of mushrooms as affected by different airflow rates and temperatures. The experiments were conducted using 6.94 m3/min and 9.43 m3/min airflow rates. Each airflow rate had temperature treatments of 45C,50C, and 55°C. The response variables were drying time, drying rate, mass diffusivity, and heat energy consumption. Results showed that increasing the airflow rate and temperature shortened the drying time and made the drying rate and mass diffusivity of mushrooms faster. However, the study showed that increasing the airflow rate also increased the heat energy consumption with the temperature treatments showing no significant difference by statistical analysis. In view of this study, it is advisable to increase airflow rates to and temperatures shorten drying time and to obtain a faster drying rate and mass diffusivity of mushrooms. However, applying this would mean an increase in heat energy consumption.