If you live along Oman’s 3,165 km coastline, from the far north to the far south, anchovies, locally known as ‘qasha’, play an essential role in the diet of coastal communities. They also play an important role in defining local identity. The drying racks spread across the beaches are not merely a method of preserving fish, they also reflect the culture of coastal communities and their maritime culinary heritage. 

The consumption of qasha is not limited to coastal residents. Even Aisha Al-Saadiya, a researcher from Al Buraimi Governorate, and her family are familiar with it. During her master’s studies, Aisha worked with a team from the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences to study the most efficient methods for drying anchovies. Anchovies are highly perishable and sensitive to moisture and temperature; therefore, effective drying is essential to preserve their nutritional value and meet the growing global demand for dried seafood. 

Conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Station, the study evaluated three drying methods: open sun drying, solar tunnel drying in greenhouses, and forced solar convective drying. The aim was to measure their effects on drying kinetics and colour changes in the anchovies. A total of 20 kg of anchovies was dried using the three methods to compare drying rates, moisture content, and colour changes. 

Results showed that solar tunnel drying in greenhouses achieved the highest drying rate and the shortest drying time of six hours, compared with nine hours for the other two methods. The drying rate was closely linked to moisture content. This method showed the highest effective moisture diffusivity during the drying process. 

The study demonstrates the advantages of solar drying methods, particularly solar tunnel drying, in improving drying efficiency and maintaining product quality. Solar dryers offer multiple benefits, such as reduced drying time through improved heat and mass transfer, better product quality by controlling drying parameters, enhanced environmental control during drying, and reduced losses and wastage. 

Aisha and her team also confirmed the economic and environmental benefits of these methods, especially solar tunnel and forced solar convective dryers. These reduce operational costs, limit reliance on conventional energy, and lower carbon emissions. Although the study was conducted on a small experimental scale, the findings provide a foundation for large-scale industrial applications. The study recommends that future research examine cost-effectiveness and scalability, especially for industrial use, which could bring significant benefits to Oman. 

Paper link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s44187-025-00442-2