The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), an agency attached to the Agriculture department, will conduct next year commercial testing of a mango drying system that is expected to cut costs for makers of processed mango products.
“Based on research by PhilMech, the local mango industry is constrained by limited drying capacity to achieve maximum production. And the industry must take advantage of the peak harvest season from March to April to produce as much dried mangoes [as possible] which has a growing export demand,” said PhilMech Executive Director Rex L. Bingabing in a statement on Friday.
“Sliced dried mangoes are one of the leading products of the local mango industry and form part of Philippine processed mango exports. Of the $35 million in mango exports in 2010, processed mango products comprised only 10%,” he added.
According to the agency, the pilot-scale conveyor dryer set for commercial testing in 2013 was the product of a study undertaken by PhilMech researchers Robelyn E. Daquila and Romualdo C. Martinez.
The dryer, it noted, uses combined far-infrared and convection heating (FIRCH) technology for drying mango slices.
The PhilMech research involved studies and tests on combining convection heating with far-infrared heating, which resulted in reduction of drying time and energy savings.
Source: Business World Online