LAUSR

Abstract Drying is a process of hydration and Elimination of water which allows the proliferation of microorganisms and development of chemical reactions without influencing morphological structure of Food Material. This paper focused on the influence of temperature on drying kinetics of the Mediterranean mussels (mytilus galloprovincilis) as per the requirement for storage seafood. Convective drying kinetics and hygroscopic behavior of Mytilus Galloprovincilis was carried out in a solar dryer operating in forced convection. Experimental drying kinetics were measured at three air temperatures (50, 60, and 70 °C), and two air flow rates fixed at (300 and 150 m3  h−1) with ambient air temperature in the range of 36–42 ± 1 °C, 8.92 to 18.86 ± 2% for ambient humidity, 422 to 988 w/m2 for solar irradiation. Experimental data of drying are collected to plot the characteristic drying curve. Nine mathematical models available in the literature are used for describing the drying curves. The logarithmic model showed the best fitting of experimental data with a highest value of correlation coefficient (r), and lowest value of reduced chi-square (χ2). Effective diffusion coefficient value Deff was obtained between 1.14 10−9 to 3.61 10−9m2s−1 based on the Fick equation.