Estimativa de atributos químicos dos solos do Cerrado empregando redes neurais artificiais e o algoritmo floresta aleatória

Abstract

A potato is considered one of the perishable vegetables, and increasing its shelf life is essential to expand its commercialization and improve post-harvest quality. In this regard, the study aimed to compare the drying of Asterix and Monalisa potato chips subjected to different drying temperatures in a forced-air circulation oven and a fluidized bed dryer. The experiment was conducted in a 2 x 2 x 4 factorial scheme, where treatments consisted of two drying methods (forced-air circulation oven and fluidized bed dryer), two potato varieties (Asterix and Monalisa), and four drying temperatures (35, 45, 55, and 65°C), with three replications. The mathematical models tested to predict the drying kinetics were: Two-term Exponential, Henderson and Pabis, Logarithmic, Newton, Page, Midilli, Thompson, Wang, and Singh. Analysis of Variance and comparison of means using Tukey's test at 5% significance level were applied to the obtained results, with the output variables being drying time and product moisture content. It was concluded that at 65°C, the fluidized bed drying method is more efficient for drying Asterix and Monalisa potato chips compared to forced-air circulation oven, taking 96.6 minutes for the chips to reach hygroscopic equilibrium, thus enhancing its applicability. For the selection of the mathematical model: For forced-air circulation oven drying, Asterix variety, the best-fitting models for temperatures ranging from 35 to 65°C were Wang and Singh, Logarithmic, and Henderson and Pabis, respectively, except for 45°C which did not achieve satisfactory adjustment. For the Monalisa variety, the mathematical model that fitted the temperatures were, at 50% of the temperatures Wang and Singh (35 and 45°C), and for the remaining temperatures Thompson and Midilli, respectively. As for the fluidized bed drying method, for the Asterix variety, the adjusted mathematical models were, at 35°C, no adjustment was observed, at 45°C Wang and Sing, and at 55 and 65°C Two-Term Exponential. For the Monalisa potato, the appropriate models for temperatures of 35 and 65°C were Wang and Sing, for 45°C Two-Term Exponential, and for 55°C Page.