Comparison of clam drying in solar, solar-hybrid, and infrared dryer: Drying characteristics, quality aspects, and techno-economic analysis

This study describes clam drying using various dryers (Open sun, solar tunnel dryer, solar-LPG dryer, infrared dryer). The parameters like moisture content of clam after drying, drying efficiency, rate of drying, energy consumption, proximate composition, microbial load, and sensory characteristics of dried clam were analyzed and also studied the economic aspects of clam drying using various dryers. The moisture content of clam reduced drastically to the level ranging from 9 -17 %wb in various dryers. Protein, ash, and fat content of dried clam were increased and moisture content was reduced compared to fresh clam under all drying methods. Drying reduced the microbial load of clam under various drying methods compared to fresh clam. Sensory parameters of dried clam are highly acceptable in infrared drying followed by solar-LPG hybrid drying. In general, infrared drying has resulted in the best drying, physical, quality, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of clam but economical indicator values were less than solar-LPG drying. The selection of a suitable drying method is not only based on the quality and drying characteristics but also by considering the economical feasibility of the dryers. Hence, it can be concluded that the solar-LPG dryer was found to the best drying method for clam drying with the final moisture content of 12.23 %wb, drying efficiency of 35.86 %, maximum drying rate of 1.26 (kg water/kg dry matter. h), specific energy consumption of 4.73 (kWh/kg of water evaporated), shrinkage of 16.52 %, rehydration ratio of 2.25 %, payback period of 1.14 years, and benefit-cost ratio of 2.