29 Apr Grape drying – A process of value addition in grapes
अंगूर में मूल्य संवर्धन की प्रक्रिया - अंगूर सुखाना Grapes are one of the most popular and palatable fruits in the world. The preservation of grapes by drying is a major industry in many parts of the world where grapes are grown. Drying practices vary with geographical locality and with the variety of grapes. Drying grapes, either by open sun drying, shade drying or mechanical drying, produces raisins. Air-drying of solar energy has been demonstrated to be cost-effective and could be an effective alternative to traditional and mechanical drying systems, especially in locations with good sunshine during the harvest season. The traditional air-drying shelter of grapes has been used for thousands of years in Asia and other places around the world. The drying of grapes under sheds is common practice followed in major raisin making sites of India like Sangli, Solapur and Nashik districts of Maharashtra and Bijapur district of Karnataka. The quality of the dried products implies that several desirable changes (physical, chemical, and biochemical) must occur during the drying process. These changes are influenced by drying conditions and physio-chemical characteristics of the targeted material. Some specific characteristics of grapes (i.e., size of the berries, sugar content, and the presence of an outer waxy cuticle) play a significant role both in the drying...