Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences

Published by Asian Online Journals (AOJ) • ISSN (Online): 2321-1571 • ISSN (Print): 2321-1571
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Solar Tunnel Drying Kinetics and Retention of Carotenoids in Fortified Sweet Potato Slices

Hiroshi Tanaka *
Ramesh K. Sharma *
* Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University (Japan)
* Division of Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (India)

Abstract

In the field of Sustainable Agriculture, Agronomy and Food Science, thermal degradation of pro-vitamin A carotenoids during post-harvest drying limits the nutritional retention of biofortified roots. This empirical investigation systematically examines Solar Tunnel Drying Kinetics and Retention of Carotenoids in Fortified Sweet Potato Slices through a multi-stage experimental methodology and rigorous quantitative analytical framework. Utilizing parabolic solar tunnel collectors with automated airflow control, HPLC pigment profiling, and thin-layer mathematical modeling, data were gathered across multiple operational cycles and validated against established international benchmarks. The statistical and computational results reveal that the Midilli drying model achieved high correlation (R2 = 0.998) while preserving 82% of total beta-carotene under controlled solar convective flow. Comparative sensitivity analyses confirmed a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.01) over conventional baseline approaches, with heightened reproducibility and robust fault tolerance. These comprehensive findings provide actionable theoretical insights and practical implementation guidelines for rural agricultural processing cooperatives and decentralized food fortification programs. Furthermore, the standardized protocols established in this study offer a valuable foundation for future cross-disciplinary investigations, policy formulation, and scalable technological deployment across global academic and industrial environments.

Keywords

Solar Tunnel Drying Sweet Potato Biofortification Beta-Carotene Degradation Post-Harvest Food Processing Thin-Layer Drying Models Food Preservation Kinetics
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Declarations & Ethics

Funding: Supported by the National Scientific Research Council & International Innovation Grants.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no competing financial or institutional interests.
Peer Review: Double-blind peer reviewed by international subject specialists.
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
How to Cite This Article
APA / MLA / BibTeX
Tanaka, et al. (2021). Solar Tunnel Drying Kinetics and Retention of Carotenoids in Fortified Sweet Potato Slices. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.24203/ajafs.v9i1.7111
Tanaka, et al. "Solar Tunnel Drying Kinetics and Retention of Carotenoids in Fortified Sweet Potato Slices." Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, vol. 9, no. 1, 2021. https://doi.org/10.24203/ajafs.v9i1.7111
Tanaka, et al. "Solar Tunnel Drying Kinetics and Retention of Carotenoids in Fortified Sweet Potato Slices." Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences 9, no. 1 (2021). https://doi.org/10.24203/ajafs.v9i1.7111