Herb drying
The challenge
To dry culinary herbs for storage gently and efficiently, to very specific finished moisture content and without spoilage or damage.
The solution
Modular and suited from from small scale minimally powered installations, to larger commercial operations, , SVPro Herb drying solutions are cost effective, efficient and effective.
Why solar dry herbs? Quality.
"a huge advantage of solar dryers is the fact that different types of fruits and vegetables can be dried. The quality of products dried in this way is excellent...due to a shorter drying process"
"higher temperature, movement of the air and lower humidity increases the rate of drying. The higher temperature deters insects and the faster drying rate reduces the risk of spoilage by microorganisms" - solar drying of agricultural produce (Tiwari)
Airflow drying of fresh herbs
Whilst fresh herbs are relatively easy to dry, the timeliness and speed with which they're harvested, processed and shipped has a significant effect on final product quality and return. During processing, the primary objective is to retain volatile oils, which are primarily responsible for flavour.
The report a commercial herb industry for NSW published by the RIRDC identified similar processing requirements across four common commercial crops: basil, sage, thyme, parsley, and further investigated the processing of others. The general requirements were to minimise delays between harvest and processing, rapid drying to moisture levels of between 9-13% moisture content, monitor temperature thresholds at which individual varieties begin to lose their volatile oils, and to minimise delays between final processing and shipping.
SVPro solutions dehumidify and warm ambient air, allowing a gentle drying of freshly harvested herbs, and significantly reducing the risk of bacterial spoilage. Designed as modular units that can be scaled as required to suit demand, systems can if required be integrated into existing drying infrastructure.
Local climatic conditions, relative humidity, varieties being processed, temperature, and the finished moisture requirements of each variety are all factors to be considered in designing each SVPro installation. With thermostatic and airflow control integrated as needed, SVPro solutions offer clean, green and energy efficient processing to meet exacting requirements.
Product brochure
Herb drying brochure
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Lavender, chamomile, peppermint, basil, thyme, oregano and other aromatic herbs are documented applications. Low-temperature forced-air drying retains essential oil content better than high-heat methods.
The SolarVenti system can be combined with a controller to limit maximum air temperature.
A ducted distribution system delivers air uniformly across the rack area. The fittings, dampers and diffusers page shows common duct layouts for herb-drying sheds.
Greenhouse solar dryers are passive structures — they can overheat product and provide no airflow control. SVPro is an active system with temperature-controlled, force-dried airflow at a consistent rate, giving better product quality and more predictable drying times.
SVPro's naturally throttled temperature range (limited by solar resource) makes it well suited to aromatic crops.