GARLIC needs to be preserved properly in order to prevent it from contamination by different agents like insects, moulds, micro-organisms etc. and to maintain its quality. In Punjab, it is harvested in the months of April-May. The cheapest method of preserving garlic is by dehydration which means reducing its moisture content. Dehydration has a unique preservative effect because it removes the medium water in which microbial and other organism grow. Thus subsequent spoilage can be prevented and garlic is preserved for a long time. Apart from preservative effect, dehydration reduces the bulk and volume of the product which cuts down the losses in haulage and storage to a great extent. At the time of harvesting garlic has very high moisture content and it is followed by hot summer months. So, garlic can be dehydrated by using suns' energy and under sun it can be dehydrated by different methods like; drying on floor using a black polythene sheet, domestic solar drier, multi rack solar drier with or without fins. The volume of dehydrated garlic can further be reduced by grinding it in domestic grinder and a very fine powder can be obtained.
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