Drying kinetics of plant products: Dependence on chemical composition

Kinetics of drying and soaking of fruits and vegetables (apples, pears, grapes, apricots, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onions, peas, spinach, pumpkins, mushrooms, oats, perennial ryegrass, and beans) were investigated. The rate constants and the activation energies of drying/soaking were calculated with the use of the initial and final portions of the corresponding kinetic curves. The dependence of the drying kinetics upon the chemical composition of the material was explained with the help of the diffusion model. Within it the plant tissue was modeled by a diffusion membrane and Fick's law was utilized.