Davao firm develops cabinet solar dryer

MANILA, Philippines – A cabinet solar dryer that can dry fresh fish much faster than other methods has been developed by a firm in Davao City.

Known as Helichaus, the dryer was crafted by Macondray Plastics, Inc. (Macplas), main supplier of the plastic bag requirements of banana plantations in Davao since the 1990s.

Macplas was assisted by the Los Baños-based Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (DOST-PCAMRD).

Also involved were selected housewives in Barangay Masili, Calamba City, Laguna.

The study field-tested the use of the device in fish drying, compared the quality of dried products using cabinet solar drying and sundrying, determined the moisture content if the dried products were subjected to two drying methods, conducted sensory evaluation of the dried products, and determined production cost.

Vicente de Jesus of Macplas reported the results of the research at the “First National Summit on Mechanization in Aquaculture” held recently at the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute-Asia Fisheries Academy in Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

In the study, siganid (rabbitfish or danggit), shrimps, tilapia, and ayungin were subjected to sundrying and cabinet solar-drying methods.

“It was observed that the heat from the sun was trapped inside the cabinet solar dryer, thereby increasing its temperature which facilitated the drying process of the fish samples,” de Jesus noted.

The temperature readings increased as the weather changed and drying time progressed in both drying methods. However, at the same weather condition, the Macplas dryer had higher temperature readings than the sundrying method.

Sensory evaluation (employing trained students at the Laguna State Polytechnic University in Los Baños) and chemical analysis (done at DOST-Los Baños) of the dried products showed that the cabinet solar-dried fish samples had better quality attributes and moisture contents than the sundried and commercially dried fish species.

The use of the Macplas dryer resulted in better quality, prolonged keeping storage, and safety of the dried fish samples, de Jesus reported. Faster drying rate was also achieved using the cabinet solar dryer, not to mention the cleanliness and safety from exposure to physical, biological and chemical contaminants which affected the dried products when subjected the sundrying.

Moreover, the use of the device reduced the drying period from two to three days to one or one and a half days, depending on the sun’s heat.