ISSN: 2155-9600
Tolcha Techane*
This study evaluated the effect of thickness and drying temperature on the physicochemical and geometric properties sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are an important root crop grown all over the world and consumed as a vegetable. Sweet potatoes are highly perishable due to high moisture content. Sweet potato plays an important role in ensuring food security and household income sources for local communities in Ethiopia. Drying temperature was influence the physico-chemical properties. At high thickness the physicochemical properties are high and vice versa. Drying sweet potato at different temperatures and by different thickness has a great difference in the moisture loss, the thickness which its 6 mm and dried at 80°C and which has 2 mm dried at 60°C their moisture contents were 82.33%and 79.53% respectively. Water activity which contribute microorganism growth also affected by thickness and temperature. It recommended that different materials are like slicer are needed and further researcher needed to study the texture, thermal properties and light power have to work properly without break in always. Therefore thickness and drying temperature affect the physico-chemical properties of the sweet potatoes.