Browsing by Person "Mahayothee, Busarakorn"

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Drying behavior and curcuminoids changes in turmeric slices during drying under simulated solar radiation as influenced by different transparent cover materials
(2022) Komonsing, Nilobon; Reyer, Sebastian; Khuwijitjaru, Pramote; Mahayothee, Busarakorn; Müller, Joachim
Dried turmeric is used as a spice and traditional medicine. The common drying methods for turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) are sun drying and solar drying. In this study, turmeric slices with a thickness of 2 mm were dried at 40, 50, 60, and 70 °C in a laboratory hot-air dryer with a simulated solar radiation applied through transparent polycarbonate cover (UV impermeable) and PMMA cover (UV permeable). Air velocity and relative humidity of drying air were fixed at 1.0 M·s−1 and 25 g H2O kg−1 dry air, respectively. Light significantly increased the sample temperature under both covers. Page was the best model to predict the drying characteristics of turmeric slices. Drying rate correlated with the effective moisture diffusivity, which increased at higher temperature. The hue angle (h°) of turmeric was distinctly lower at 70 °C under both covers. The dried products were of intensive orange color. Curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and total curcuminoids were affected by the cumulated thermal load (CTL). The lowest curcumin content was found at 40 °C under PMMA (highest CTL). The optimum drying condition was 70 °C under polycarbonate cover due to shorter drying time and better preservation of color and curcuminoids in the dried product.
New sustainable banana value chain: Waste valuation toward a circular bioeconomy
(2023) Krungkaew, Samatcha; Hülsemann, Benedikt; Kingphadung, Kanokwan; Mahayothee, Busarakorn; Oechsner, Hans; Müller, Joachim
According to the needs of sustainability, a new sustainable banana chip value chain, which is a combination of the traditional banana chip value chain and the banana waste value chain, was designed. Scenarios were created assuming that an anaerobic digester would be implemented to produce biogas—which can act as a substitute for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used in banana processing—from banana wastes. The values of banana residues throughout the value chain were determined depending on farm gate tree price, transportation cost, and the final value of LPG substitution. The value chain was optimized using two objective functions: total chain profit maximization and factory profit maximization. The tree price at the farm gate was determined and assumed to be between USD 0.067 and USD 0.093 per tree, and the transportation cost of tree transportation was assumed to be between USD 0.31 and USD 0.39 per km. Different tree prices and transportation costs affected the profits of all stakeholders throughout the chain. The scenarios that maximized total chain profits showed superior environmental performance compared to the scenarios that maximized factory profits. The proposed sustainable value chain will lead to an increase in farmers’ profits of 15.5–17.0%, while the profits gained by collectors and factory will increase between 3.5 and 8.9% when compared to business as usual.