Abstract:
A solar dryer with dimensions 93cm x 63cm x 37cm was designed and
constructed with metal drum. It has detachable stand and removable cover constructed
with perspex. The solar dryer was evaluated with three fresh water fish species:
Gymnarchus niloticus, Heterotis nllotrcus and Clariar gariepinus, These were also
dried conventionally on exposed rack Organoleptic assessment was conducted for the
dried fish
The highest mean temperature of 68.3O C at 14 00 bur was attained inside the dryer.
At h s time the ambient temperature was 34.4 + 3.5' C, while the radiation was 742.2
f 105 w&?. The highest radiation measured was 859.6 w/M2 at 1300 hour, when
the lowest humidity measurement was 34.6 f 2.9 %. The lowest mean temperature
recorded in the dryer was 33" C at 0900 h when ambient was 25:4' C and radiation
was 317.4 wIM2. The quality of the solar dryer dried product was found to be
superior to the open sun-dried ones. Bacterial load was less (40 orgslg) in solar dried
than the open sun dried fish product (1,820 orgdg). The organoleptic assessment test
showed that solar dried fish were judged better than sun dried fish. It took three days
for the fish to be completely dried in solar dryer compared with open sun dried, which
took seven days to be dried.
