Modelling and comparison of drying kinetics in shelf-life extension of Black Sea anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus ponticus) using microwave and oven drying techniques

This study investigated the drying kinetics of Black Sea anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus ponticus) using two preservation techniques: oven drying (40–60 °C) and microwave drying (90–360 W). Effective moisture diffusivity (D eff ) values for microwave drying were calculated as 4.6 × 10 −8 , 1.32 × 10 −7 , and 2.87 × 10 −7 m 2 /s for 90 W, 180 W, and 360 W, respectively. For oven drying, values of 2.03 × 10 −9 , 3.04 × 10 −9 , and 4.06 × 10 −9 m 2 /s were determined at 40 °C, 50 °C, and 60 °C. The corresponding activation energies were 45.86 W/g for microwave drying and 30.13 kJ/mol for oven drying. Regression analysis showed that the Page model best described the microwave drying kinetics with R 2 values between 0.995 and 0.999, while the Logarithmic model provided the best fit for oven drying with R 2 values of 0.997–0.998. These findings indicated a scientific basis for optimizing drying parameters in anchovy processing.