Journal of Food Engineering 78 (2007) 14711475

www.elsevier.com/locate/jfoodeng

Research note

Convective drying characteristics of azarole red (Crataegus

monogyna Jacq.) and yellow (Crataegus aronia Bosc.) fruits
Turhan Koyuncu *, Yunus Pinar, Fuat Lule
University of Ondokuz Mays, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Machinery, 55139 Samsun, Turkey
Received 6 May 2005; received in revised form 9 August 2005; accepted 30 September 2005
Available online 20 February 2006

Abstract
In this research, drying characteristics and energy requirement for drying of two dierent genotypes (Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and
Crataegus aronia Bosc.) of azarole (Crataegus azarolus L.) red and yellow fruits were reported. Azarole fruits were dehydrated in a computer connected convective hot air dryer. Freshly harvested two dierent genotypes of azarole fruits were dried at 60 and 70 C temperatures and drying air velocity was selected as 0.25 m/s for both temperatures. Azarole fruits were dehydrated from the initial moisture
content of 211% and 273% (percentage dry basis) to a nal moisture content of 89% for red and yellow fruits, respectively. During
experiments, drying product were weighted automatically by the balance per 10 min. Data were transferred to the computer and processed by a software. The results indicated that drying air temperature signicantly inuenced the total drying time and total energy
requirement for drying of both genotype azarole fruits. The minimum specic energy consumption for drying of red and yellow fruits
were determined as 42.80 kWh/kg and 27.68 kWh/kg for 70 C, respectively. In order to reduce drying energy consumption, it can be
recommended that the drying temperature must not be less than 70 C for this application.
2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Azarole fruits; Drying kinetics; Energy requirement for drying of azarole fruits; Convective hot air dryer; Drying temperatures; Drying air
velocity

1. Introduction
The drying or dehydration is the oldest method in food
conservation, and its object is to remove by evaporation
most of the water present in the product. The reduction
of moisture content inhibits or decrease microbial and
enzymatic activity, which otherwise would produce food
damage. Besides, dehydration makes food product handling easier owing to the volumetric shrinkage and weight
losses products undergo during process (Ochoa, Kesseler,
Pirone, Marquez, & De Michelis, 2002). Natural open-air
sun drying is practiced widely in hot climates and tropical
countries. Considerable savings can be obtained with this
type of drying, since the source of energy is free and renew-

Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 362 3121919; fax: +90 362 4576034.
E-mail address: tkoyuncu@omu.edu.tr (T. Koyuncu).

0260-8774/$ - see front matter 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2005.09.036

able. However, this technique is extremely weather, dependent and has the problems of contamination, infestation,
microbial attack, etc. In addition, the required drying time
for a given load is approximately 24 times longer than
greenhouse, cabinet and convective hot air type dryers
(Koyuncu & Pnar, 2001; Koyuncu & Sessiz, 2002; Togrul
& Dursun, 2003).
Azarole (Crataegus azarolus L.) tree is a deciduous tree
growing up to 34 m high and cultivated for centuries in
the Mediterranean area. It is in ower in April and May.
The plant can grow in light, medium and heavy soils. It
requires moist or wet soil and can tolerate drought. Its
fruits are very variable in size and colour, it is up to
25 mm in diameter. There are 13 large seeds in the centre
of the fruit. Fruit weight 2.167.58 g, esh/pit ratio 2.55
6.86, pit weight 0.771.16 g. The fruits contain 15.9 g total
sugar, 1.38 mg total acidity, 27.58 mg vitamin C, 11.0 mg
Ca, 9.80 mg P, 1.16 mg Fe, 158 mg K, 7.10 mg Mg,

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T. Koyuncu et al. / Journal of Food Engineering 78 (2007) 14711475

Nomenclature
A
c
Dt
Ekg
Et
Fd
Fl

drying air ow surface area, m2

specic heat of air under adiabatic conditions,
kJ/(kg K)
total drying time, h
energy requirement for drying 1 kg of product,
kWh/kg
total energy requirement for a charge of the
dryer, kWh
geometric mean diameter, mm
length of fruit, mm

Fp
Fs
Fw
PMdb
v
Wd
W0
DT
q

sphericity
surface area, mm2
width of fruit, mm
the moisture content on dry basis expressed as
percentage, %
drying air speed, m/s
weight of dry matter in product, kg
initial weight of undried product, kg
temperature dierences, K
air density, kg/m3

0.16 mg Cu, 0.24 mg Mn, 2 mg Na, 0.95 g protein and

13.12 g carbohydrate for 100 g fruits. Azarole fruits are
extensively used especially in rural areas of Turkey for different aims. However, for the present, it is not easy to see
enough information regarding the production and consumption in the literature even if many studies made about
azarole fruits. The fruits are not only consumed fresh and
dried but also used to produce jam, marmalade and syrup
in Turkey. Fruits and owers are also used for medicinal
purposes (Asma & Birhanl, 2003; Bignami, Paolocci,
Scossa, & Bertazza, 2003; Karadeniz, 2004; Yesilada
et al., 1997).
In order to store azarole fruits, it is possible to use different methods such as traditional method, cold storage
and drying depending on the technical opportunities, food
consumption and food processing ways. In dierent several
literatures, it is possible to see a little part of information
about nutritional and physical properties, ingredients and
characteristics of azarole fruits (Asma & Birhanl, 2003;
Bignami et al., 2003; Karadeniz, 2004). However, no report
concerning the drying kinetics, drying characteristics and
heat energy requirement of azarole fruits during our literature survey. Therefore, two dierent genotypes of azarole
fruits (Crataegus azarolus L.) such as azarole red fruits
(Crataegus monogyna Jacq.) and azarole yellow fruits
(Crataegus aronia Bosc.) were dehydrated in a computer
connected convective hot air dryer at various temperatures
and selected most suitable velocity to determine the drying
characteristics and energy requirement for drying in this
experimental investigation.

and a 0.01 g sensitive balance. The geometric mean diameter (Fd), sphericity (Fp) and surface area (Fs) were calculated from Eqs. (1) to (3) (Demir & Kalyoncu, 2003).
Freshly harvested azarole fruits that physical properties
given in Table 1 were dried in a computer connected convective hot air dryer. The dryer equipped with an electric
heater (air heating duct), temperature adjuster, centrifugal
fan (blower), air speed adjuster (regulator of variable transformer), corrosion resistant chromium mesh, corrosion
resistant cromium sheet, glass wood insulator, a 0.01 g sensitive Precisa BJ 600 D digital balance, RS232 connection,
a PC, specially designed Balint data processing software,
drying air inlet and outlet channels as well as thermostat,
temperature indicators

2. Materials and methods

F d F l F 2w 1=3

Ripe azarole red and yellow fruits grown in Malatya

Region of Turkey were harvested manually and used for
the investigation. The fruits were cleaned in an air screen
to remove all foreign material such as dust, dirt, pieces of
branches and leaves. To establish the physical properties
of the fresh fruits, approximately 20% samples were randomly taken out and width, length and weight were measured by the help of a 0.01 mm sensitive digital caliper

Table 1
Physical properties of azarole fruits

Width of fruit (mm)

Length of fruit (mm)
Number of fruit/kg
Number of fruit/m2
Weight of fruit (g)/m2
Average weight of each fruit (g)
Geometric mean diameter
of fruit (mm)
Sphericity of fruit
Surface area of fruit (mm2)
Fruit Fl/Fw

Fp

1=3
F l F 2w

Azarole red
fruits

Azarole yellow
fruits

19.96
20.10
296
2422
8186
3.38
20.00

19.12
19.83
264
2556
9687
3.79
19.35

0.99
1256
1.01

0.97
1176
1.04

Fd
Fl

Fl
PF 2w F 2l
PF 2d
Fs
62F l  F w

2
3

Wattmeter and free wheels (Fig. 1). The products were

placed on the cromium mesh as a thin layer and at the density of 8.20 and 9.69 kg/m2 for red and yellow fruits,
respectively. The drying air at the inlet of the dryer was

T. Koyuncu et al. / Journal of Food Engineering 78 (2007) 14711475

1473

Fig. 1. Schematic presentation of the computer connected convective hot air dryer.

20 C (1) and 60% (3) relative humidity. This air was

heated by the electric heater. In order to produce dierent
temperatures and air velocities, the electric current of the
heater and the rotation of the fan were adjusted manually.
The system was also controlled by the thermostat automatically. To measure the power consumption, air speed, relative humidity and drying air temperatures at dierent
points, several digital devices such as Wattmeter, hot-wire
anemometer having in the measurement sensitive of
0.1 m/s, Testo AG 309 type relative humidity, temperature
sensors and thermocouple were connected to the drying
system. Besides, the experimental drying studies we conducted showed us that the maximum length of the drying
chamber must be approximately 1 m depending on the drying air temperature distribution during the length of the
dryer. When the length of the drying chamber was constructed more than 1 m, important temperature dierences
and relative humidity were found between the beginning
and the end of the drying chamber (Koyuncu, Tosun, &
stun, 2003; Koyuncu, Serdar, & Tosun, 2004). Therefore,
U
the drying chamber was selected less than 1 m long. The
moisture content (percentage dry basis) of fresh fruits, at
harvest were found approximately 211% and 273% for azarole red and yellow fruits, respectively (Eq. (4)) (Ekechukwu, 1999). Moisture content of the fruits were determined
by using an air oven set at 105 C, and kept until reaching
constant weight (AOAC, 1984; Ochoa et al., 2002). For
safe long-term storage, the moisture content should preferably be less than 10%. For that reason, the fresh products
with moisture content of 211% and 273% was dehydrated
until the moisture content of 89% in the dryer. During
drying time, the mass of the fruit samples were weighted
automatically by the balance per 10 min and all test were
replicated three times. The dryer was installed in conditions
that were a relative humidity of 60% (3) and a temperature of 20 C (1). This air was heated by the heater and
directed to the drying chamber. In addition, the preliminary studies we conducted showed that the temperature less
than 60 C and the air speed more than 0.25 m/s increase
the drying time and energy requirement, extremely for
these fruits. Thus, two dierent temperatures such as 60

and 70 C and a selected air velocity of 0.25 m/s were used

for experimentation. During experiments, total drying
time, total energy requirement for drying of one charge
of the dryer and energy needed for drying 1 kg of wet product were determined for dierent temperatures and for various azarole fruit genotypes (Eqs. (5) and (6)) (Holman,
1994).


W0Wd
PM db
 100
4
Wd
Et AvqcDTDt

Et
W0

Ekg

3. Results and discussion

During a drying process, two periods can be distinguished. The rst is called constant drying rate period.
The second drying stage is also called the falling drying rate
period. During the rst period, the surface of the product
behaves as a surface of the water. The rate of moisture
removal during this period is mainly dependent on the surrounding conditions and only aected slightly by the nature of the product. The end of the constant drying rate
period is marked by a decrease in the rate of moisture
migration from within the product below that sucient
to replenish the moisture being evaporated from the surface. The falling drying rate period is dependent essentially
on the rate of diusion of moisture from within the product
to the surface and also on moisture removal from the surface. For agricultural products, the duration of each of the
drying regimes depends on the initial moisture content and
the safe storage moisture content. Especially, for fruits and
most vegetables, the drying would take place within both
the constant and falling rate periods that can be seen easily.
Both the external factors and the internal mechanisms controlling the drying processes in the two main rate regimes
are important in determining the overall drying rate of
products (Ekechukwu, 1999; Gigler, Loon, van Seres,
Meerdink, & Coumans, 2000). For these reasons, the

T. Koyuncu et al. / Journal of Food Engineering 78 (2007) 14711475

changing of the moisture content of azarole fruits must

have two periods depending on the drying time. The moisture content of the products as a function of drying time
are presented in Figs. 25 for 60 and 70 C. As seen from
these gures, all lines have two stages. The moisture content rapidly reduces and then slowly decreases with rising
of the drying time. Constant and falling rate periods are
changing as a function of drying time depending on the
drying temperatures. The lines of constant rate periods
extend from beginning of the drying time to the drying time
of approximately 2000, 1500, 1750 and 1500 min for drying
temperature of 60 and 70 C and for red and yellow fruits,

Moisture content dry basis (%)

1474

300
250
200

y = 173.77e -0.0008x
R 2 = 0.8995

150
100
50
0
0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

Drying time (min)

Fig. 5. Moisture content as a function of drying time for azarole red fruits
and temperature of 70 C.

160

200

140

y =151.14e-0.0003x

150

Total drying time (h)

Moisture content dry basis (%)

250

R =0.9607

100
50
0
0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

Moisture content dry basis (%)

250
200
y = 182.65e-0.0008x
R 2 = 0.9383

100
50

1000

2000
3000
Drying time (min)

4000

5000

Fig. 3. Moisture content as a function of drying time for azarole red fruits
and temperature of 70 C.

60
40

Red-60C

Red-70C

Yellow-60C

Yellow-70C

Fig. 6. Total drying time of azarole red and yellow fruits at dierent
temperatures.

respectively. The lines of falling rate periods of these experiments are also extend from the end of the constant rate
period lines to the maximum drying time (Figs. 25). In
addition, it is obvious from the gures that drying temperature has an important role on the total drying time
(Fig. 6). The least drying time (59.60 h) was obtained at
70 C for yellow fruits. The highest drying time (141.50 h)
was also found at 60 C temperature for red fruits.
The total energy consumption for a charge of the dryer
and energy needed for drying 1 kg of fruits can be seen
from Figs. 7 and 8, respectively. There is a strict correlation
between these two gures. This is because of the fact that
the values of Fig. 8 were obtained from value of Fig. 7
30
Total energy needed (kWh)

300
Moisture content dry basis (%)

80

Fig. 2. Moisture content as a function of drying time for azarole red fruits
and temperature of 60 C.

100

20

Drying time (min)

150

120

250
y = 297.92e-0.0011x
R 2 = 0.9586

200
150
100
50

25
20
15
10
5

0
0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

Drying time (min)

Fig. 4. Moisture content as a function of drying time for azarole yellow

fruits and temperature of 60 C.

0
Red-60C

Red-70C

Yellow-60C

Yellow-70C

Fig. 7. Total energy requirement for a charge of the dryer at dierent

temperatures.

Specific energy requirement (kWh/kg)

T. Koyuncu et al. / Journal of Food Engineering 78 (2007) 14711475

1475

References

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Red-60C

Red-70C

Yellow-60C

Yellow-70C

Fig. 8. Energy requirement for drying 1 kg of product at dierent

temperatures.

by calculation (Eq. (6)). As it is understood from these gures, the minimum heat energy (27.68 kWh/kg) is needed
for drying of 1 kg fruits at temperature of 70 C for yellow
fruits. The maximum energy (62.12 kWh/kg) is also needed
at 60 C for red fruits. As a result, it can be said from the
gures that 70 C temperature must be selected for drying
freshly harvested azarole fruits.
4. Conclusions
Two genotypes of freshly harvested azarole fruits were
successfully dried in a computer connected convective hot
air dryer at dierent temperatures of 60 and 70 C and
air speed of 0.25 m/s. It is found from the results of the
experimental investigation that the drying air temperature
has an important role on the total drying time. It is also
seen from the results that the drying air temperature significantly aects the energy needed for drying of azarole
fruits. The main conclusion of this study is that azarole
red and yellow fruits must be dried at temperature of
70 C and air velocity of 0.25 m/s to minimize the energy
consumption for drying of azarole red and yellow fruits.

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