Development and evaluation of a low-cost solar dryer prototype for the dehydration of ‘Prata’ banana

Abstract

This study developed and evaluated a low-cost solar dryer prototype for the dehydration of ‘Prata’ banana as a sustainable alternative for small producers in semi-arid regions. The equipment was built with simple and accessible materials, allowing easy replication. During drying, the dryer raised the internal temperature by up to 5.69°C compared to the ambient temperature. The fresh bananas (71.90% moisture) had their moisture reduced to 15.28% in the solar dryer after 600 minutes and to 12.64% in the greenhouse after 1380 minutes. The water activity decreased from 0.76 to 0.56 in both methods, favoring preservation. The color analysis (L*) indicated more pronounced darkening in the greenhouse (L* = 50.66) than in the solar dryer (L* = 57.55), suggesting less pigment degradation in the latter. The Midilli model best described the drying kinetics. The results indicate that the solar dryer is an efficient, sustainable, and low-cost option with potential to reduce post-harvest losses and add value to production. Improvements in insulation could enhance its effectiveness.