Drying test of Folium cum Flore Crataegi in Universität Hohenheim and Agro-MAP farm in Albania

The project is focusing on drying of Crataegus monogyna fresh material, for determination of control drying conditions will be investigated for the mixture (folium cum flore crataegi) and separated plant organ (flower and leafs) material at air temperature of 40 °C, specific humidity of 10 g/kg and air flow of 0.2 m/s.

There is planned for each flowering stage three control drying conditions with a total of 18 samples to determine the highest flavonoids content at different flowering stage and different morphological plant types.

For defining optimal storage conditions, knowledge of the equilibrium relationship between product moisture content (MC) and relative humidity (RH) at a given temperature is fundamental to prevent microbial or enzymatic processes. The moisture sorption behavior of Folium cum Flore Crataegi will be investigated using a dynamic vapor sorption apparatus at temperatures 20, 40 and 60 °C.  Storage conditions at which water activity (aw) value prevent microbial and enzymatic processes will be defined.

The findings from the planed laboratory experiments will be supported with field experiments conducted in Albania at the Agro-MAP farm. Six different trials will be tested from the traditional drying conditions to tunnel solar dryers assisted with air movement ventilators. The drying conditions will be monitored via sensors and samples for laboratory analysis for each drying condition will be analyzed at the Institute for Agriculture Engineering in Hohenheim. The same sampling method of flowering stage will be used in Albania; six flowering stages will be analyses with the six drying methods as listed in the table below. OPC content and color analysis will be determined at the Institute for Agriculture Engineering in Hohenheim.