Avaliação do efeito da humidade relativa, vento e a temperatura para a secagem do tomate, no secador solar de efeito estufa

Abstract

In Mozambique, significant post-harvest losses of food occur annually, with tomatoes being one of the most affected products due to their widespread use in cuisine and rapid deterioration. Food drying is a fundamental process for the preservation and prolonged storage of agricultural products, including tomatoes. This method is considered efficient when it allows for the rapid removal of moisture, minimizing exposure to the environment and reducing the risk of microbial contamination.This research aimed to study the effects of relative humidity, temperature, and wind on the drying of tomatoes in a solar dryer. To achieve this, data on wet and dry bulb temperatures were collected to determine the relative humidity, and wind speed was measured with an anemometer at 10-minute intervals outside the greenhouse to understand its influence on drying.The results indicate that a combination of temperatures above 45°C, moderate wind speeds above 1.4 m/s, and a low relative humidity of 30% inside the solar dryer favored the drying of tomatoes.