Polygel-based Drying for Herbs and Food Material

• Main Author: ANANDA GUNAWAN (NIM : 13014119) - DARIEN THEODRIC (NIM : 13014120), DWI
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/26769
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

<p align="justify">Indonesia has good potential for the growth of various types of medicinal plants (herbs) and spices. Potential foodstuffs and medicinal plants need to be optimized to maintain the quality and nutrition of foodstuffs. One way to maintain this quality is to preserve it through drying food. The main purpose of drying is to reduce the moisture content of a material to prevent the occurrence of material damage due to internal biological activity or the development of microbes. One method of drying is to use polygel. In this study, the experiment focused on modifying the polydrier dryer so that it can speed up drying time. Drying was carried out to study the drying process of five ingredients, namely turmeric rhizome, ginger, ginger, galangal, and galingale which were evaluated under no-heat drying conditions (room temperature) and by heating. <br /> <br /> <br /> The experiment was conducted at the Laboratory of Technology and Membrane, Chemical Engineering - ITB. The experimental stages were drying machine design and assembly, characteristic analysis of polygel, material preparation and polygel, drying process of five material variations, material moisture content testing, material quality analysis, and morphological analysis of materials using SEM test. Data processing is done by using Ms. Excel 2016. <br /> <br /> <br /> The polygel used has an absorption capacity of 304 g water / g polygel. Unheated drying can dry the rhizomes in 4-5 days. Heating drying can speed up the drying process to 18 hours for rhizome of turmeric, temulawak, and kencur; 20 hours for ginger rhizomes; and 25 hours for galangal rhizomes. The drying model follows the Page model. SEM test results showed that the drying material without heating and heating had a similar morphological structure. The color ratio of the drying results does not show significant changes so that the heating is still in a temperature range that does not damage the rhizome's color pigment.<p align="justify"> <br />