sample thickness/load of
0.8cm/250 ± 0.2g, and constant air velocity of 1.2 ± 0.03m/s. Moisture loss was recorded at 10min intervals. The experiments were continued till the moisture content of the sample was reduced to 5% (w/w). Three replications of each experiment were done. The dried samples were cooled at the laboratory conditions after each drying experiment, and packed in low-density polyethylene bags, which were heat sealed, and kept to use in further experiments.