Development of Polyhouse Solar Dryer for Drying Granular Jaggery

Jaggery is a traditional Indian sweetener prepared from sugarcane juice through evaporation process and considered as medicinal sugar due to its nutritional thereupatic properties. To improve the shelf-life of solid jaggery , making in form granules with moisture content 1–2% was recommended. A Polyhouse solar dryer for drying granular capacity 200 kg developed at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Anakapalle, Andhra Pradesh, India. Traditionally, dried openyard resulting contamination dust, insects, birds rain. comparative study carried initial 9.3 10.5% (db) both polyhouse an open yard during month March– April, 2019. The revealed that rate faster poly house compared drying. temperature inside 59% higher than ambient conditions. percent saving time 38% attain optimum 1.7% stable shelf life besides maintaining hygienic quality parameters terms sucrose reducing sugars percentage showed insignificant changes methods. However, color well retained Hence, this will be helpful small micro entrepreneurs large scale under conditions utilizing renewable energy resources.