Comparative analysis reports the drying rate and nutrient composition in maize pap using solar and multi-crop dryers, suggesting consumer preference for the latter.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the drying rate and nutrient composition in dried maize pap using the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) designed parabolic shaped solar dryer (PSSD) and multi-crop dryer. Drying rate and nutrient composition in maize pap were analyzed using various standard methods. Results obtained from the study showed that the multi-crop dryer maintained consistent drying rates compared to the parabolic shaped solar dryer. Both drying methods effectively reduce moisture content and concentrate nutrients leading to increased in fat, protein, and carbohydrate content However, the sample under the multi-crop dryer yielded higher protein (9.15) and preserved more fibre (0.60) compared to sample under parabolic solar dryer. The maize pap obtained from multi-crop dryer received better sensory scores in terms of flavor (4.03), texture (4.20), and overall general impression (4.47) compared to the sample under parabolic shaped solar dryer, with the p-value of 0.002 confirmed level of statistical significance. The study concludes that both the NSPRI drying technologies effectively reduced moisture content and concentrate nutrients in the product. However, consumers preferred maize pap dried using multi-crop dryer for its color and texture. Hence, findings of the study highlighted the impact of drying technology on the nutritional profile of the agricultural product, which is essential for optimizing drying methods for better quality and nutritional value.
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Iordekighir et al. (2025) studied this question.
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