The objective of this research was to study the drying of "nanica" banana paste (variety belonging to the subgroup Cavendish) in a rotary dryer with an inert bed (RDIB). Preliminary tests were carried out to adjust the operational process parameters. An experimental design (central composite design) was used for the final drying experiments with the following variables: the drying time and the mass of paste fed into the dryer, and as responses: the moisture content and the yield in banana flour. As a result of the tests carried out according to the experimental design, a beige-coloured product, composed of banana powder and flakes was obtained with a characteristic banana aroma. A multiple linear regression of the experimental results was used to determine the influence of the process variables. The best operational conditions allowed for the manufacture of a product with 8.0% moisture content (wet weight base) and a flour production efficiency of 72.9%.
Food powder; Pasty foods dryer; Additive; Banana flour; Production efficiency
