Investigating the drying kinetics and quality attributes of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) using a state-of-the-art precision dryer
- Beschreibung
Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are important raw materials for the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and nutraceutical industries due to their content of bioactive secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and essential oils. After harvest, MAPs have a high moisture content, which promotes microbial growth and enzymatic degradation, making them highly perishable. Drying is therefore a critical post-harvest process for stabilising and preserving these plants. However, bioactive compounds are thermolabile, and drying conditions strongly affect the quality of the dried product. Identifying conditions that combine efficient moisture removal with high retention of these compounds remains a central challenge in MAP processing.
In this project, you will investigate the drying kinetics of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), an important MAP, using a state-of-the-art laboratory dryer that enables precise control and real-time monitoring of the drying process. The effects of key drying parameters, including air temperature, air velocity, and relative humidity, will be systematically evaluated to characterize their influence on drying behaviour. Samples will be collected at defined stages of the drying process and analysed to assess relevant product quality attributes. The results will be used to establish relationships between drying conditions, drying kinetics, and product quality, thereby identifying operating conditions that promote efficient drying while defining critical conditions beyond which significant quality degradation occurs.
Throughout the project, you will gain hands-on experience in experimental design, data acquisition, and data analysis. Depending on your interests, mathematical modelling can also be integrated into the work.
Interested in the project? Ready to expand your skills? Become part of our drying research initiative!
- Projektzeitraum
- Wintersemester 2026/2027
- Bewerbungszeitraum
- 12. bis 26.10.2026
- Durchführung
- semesterbegleitend
- Details zu Projektzeitraum und Durchführung
The project will be conducted during the winter semester, with a flexible schedule arranged in consultation with the supervisors. While some tasks can be completed remotely, the experimental tests will be carried out on-site at the Institute of Agricultural Engineering.
- Studienfach
- offen für alle Studienfächer
- Betreuende
- Dr. Iris Ramaj, Janvier Ntwali, Prof. Dr. Joachim Müller
- Institut
- Institut für Agrartechnik (440) (440e)
- Sprache
- englisch
- Teilnehmendenanzahl
- min. 1, max. 1
- Arbeitsaufwand
-
ca. 180 Stunden pro Teilnehmende:r
| 6
ECTS-Punkte
Arbeitsaufwand (Stunden und ggf. ECTS) sind ungefähre Angaben. Die tatsächlich vergebenen ECTS-Punkte ergeben sich aus der tatsächlich geleisteten Arbeit.
- Für dieses Projekt ist kein Motivationsschreiben des Studierenden erforderlich
- Projektart
- experimentell
- Lernziele
-
Die Teilnehmende lernen in diesem Projekt:
- Understand the fundamentals of convective drying and its effect on product quality
- Operate a state-of-the-art, high-precision laboratory dryer
- Plan and conduct thin-layer drying experiments and collect data
- Collect samples and assess product quality attributes in the laboratory
- Analyse and interpret the data and present the results in a scientific poster
- Anmerkungen für Studierende
Motivated and interested in the topic. It is possible to integrate this project into a bachelor or master thesis.
- Schlagworte
- medicinal and aromatic plants, thin-layer drying, convective drying, high-precision dryer, Product Quality, bioactive compounds