Snail Drying Application
Drying or dehydration is the process of removing vaporisable substances such as water from solid materials in order to slow or stop microorganism growth or chemical reactions.
In traditional drying methods, heat is gradually transferred from the surface of the dried material to the interior due to the temperature difference between the hot surface of the product and the colder interior during the drying process.
Microwave energy rapidly heats and vaporises the snail tissue in which the water molecules are contained. This process reduces the water content of the snail, allowing it to dry.
The industrial microwave drying process usually involves the following steps:
- Preparation: Snails are cleaned and, where necessary, the shells are removed. They are then organised in a suitable way for microwave drying. For example, the snails can be placed in a single row on a flat plate.
- Microwave Drying Chamber: The snails are placed in a microwave drying chamber. These chambers are equipped with microwave generators that transmit microwave energy to the snails in a controlled manner. Turntables in the chamber can be used to ensure even drying of the snails.
- Drying Process: Microwave generators send energy to the snails in the chamber. The microwave energy penetrates into the snails and heats the water molecules. The energy in the water accelerates the movement of the molecules and the water evaporates. This process reduces the water content of the snails and dries them out.
- Humidity Control: The drying chamber is usually equipped with a humidity sensor. The sensor measures the moisture level of the snails and controls the progress of the process. When the desired moisture level is reached, the drying process ends.
- Cooling and Packaging: After the drying process is completed, the snails are left to cool down. Then, the dried snails are packed with suitable packaging materials and prepared for storage.
Industrial microwave drying is a fast and effective drying method. The use of microwave energy significantly reduces the drying time while maintaining the quality of the snails. Furthermore, snails dried by this method can have a longer shelf life and can be easily stored.
Avantajları
The industrial microwave drying method has many advantages:
- Fast Drying: Microwave energy directly heats the water molecules inside the snails, allowing them to evaporate quickly. This ensures that the drying time is shortened. Faster results are achieved compared to traditional drying methods.
- Better Quality: Microwave drying preserves the nutritional value and flavour characteristics of the snails as it takes place at low temperature. It also prevents the growth of microorganisms that may occur on the snails during the drying process, which improves the quality of the product.
- Energy Efficiency: The microwave drying method applies energy directly to the snail, which increases energy efficiency. As in traditional drying methods, energy is prevented from being lost during the heating process.
- Less Space Requirement: Microwave drying systems are generally compact and space-saving. This requires less space in production facilities and reduces operating costs.
- Longer Shelf Life: Snails dried by microwave drying have a longer shelf life due to their low moisture content. This gives producers more flexibility in storage and transport processes.
- Labour Savings: Automated microwave drying systems can operate without the need for human intervention. This reduces labour costs and increases operational efficiency.
- Flexibility: Microwave drying can be used for drying snails as well as other food products. This method is suitable for drying products of different sizes and shapes.Industrial microwave drying is a widely used method in the food industry due to the advantages mentioned above. It provides products with good quality and long shelf life while reducing operating costs.
Salting the snails before microwaving can be done for several reasons:
- Pre-treatment: Salting the snails is part of the preparation process beforehand. Salting makes it easier to clean the snails and remove their shells. Also, the salting process can help kill some harmful microorganisms present in the snails.
- Flavour and Textural Characteristics: The salting process gives snails a characteristic flavour. Salt brings out the natural taste of the snails and enriches the flavour. At the same time, the salting process affects the texture of the snails. Salt tightens the texture of the snails and makes them more chewy.
- Reducing Water Content: Salting helps to reduce the water content of snails. When the water content of snails is high, the microwave drying process can take longer. The salting process reduces the amount of water in the snails, making microwave drying more efficient and faster.
- Salting can optionally be applied prior to microwave drying. However, there may be special recipes or methods for salting snails. Therefore, before using snails for salting, it is important to follow the appropriate recipe or procedures.
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