This project concerns a low-temperature belt dryer for ginger slices in Vietnam. spice processing company in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, near Can Tho, was producing dried ginger slices for export to Europe, Japan, and North America. The challenge was quality.
This project concerns a low-temperature belt dryer for ginger slices in Vietnam. A spice processing company in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, near Can Tho, was producing dried ginger slices for export to Europe, Japan, and North America. The challenge was quality. Traditional sun drying took 5-7 days and was weather-dependent. High-temperature hot air dryers (80-100°C) were faster but destroyed the volatile oils – gingerols and shogaols – that give ginger its pungent flavor and health benefits.
The production manager (let's call him Nguyen) explained the challenge: "Premium buyers pay top dollar for high-quality dried ginger. They test for volatile oil content. Our sun-dried ginger had good oil retention but inconsistent quality and mold issues. Our high-temperature dryer was fast but destroyed the oils. We needed a low-temperature dryer that would preserve the volatile oils while drying quickly."
The company processes about 5,000 tons of fresh ginger annually, producing about 1,000 tons of dried slices. Their customers are spice companies in Germany, Japan, and the United States.
Nguyen looked for a drying system that could operate at 45-55°C (not 80-100°C) to preserve volatile oils. He found the DHG-500 belt dryer from RICHI.
Name:
ginger slice dryer
Country:
Vietnam
Date:
2025
Capacity:
0.35 tons/hour
Model:
DHG-500
Main Motor Power:
50kW
Volatile oil retention:
1.7-2.0%
Drying time:
3 hours
From the belt dryer table, the DHG-500 (electrically heated) was selected. Why this model?
Nguyen chose the electric model because their facility had reliable electricity. The DHG-500 ginger slice low temperature belt dryer runs on electricity only.
Vietnam is one of the world's largest ginger producers. Nguyen's company processes:
The drying process must preserve:
The DHG-500 belt dryer arrived at the Port of Ho Chi Minh City (Cat Lai Port) – Vietnam's largest port.
Shipping time from Qingdao to Ho Chi Minh City is very short – about 5-7 days. The machine was packed in a 20-foot container with:
Customs clearance in Ho Chi Minh City took about 5 days. Total landed cost was about 20% higher than the FOB price.
Installation took two weeks. Nguyen's team prepared a concrete foundation – the DHG-500 is about 8 meters long. They poured a 200mm reinforced slab.
The electrical hookup required 380V, 50Hz three-phase (Vietnamese standard). The 50kW heater required a 120-amp breaker.
The first test run was with ginger slices at 82% moisture. The slices were spread on the belt (layer thickness 20mm). Belt speed was set to 35 minutes per layer – total drying time 175 minutes across 5 layers. Air temperature: 50°C. Output moisture: 11%. Volatile oil content: 1.8% (lab tested). Excellent.
After six months of operation, Nguyen documented the following results:
Before (sun drying – 5-7 days):
Before (high-temperature dryer – 80°C, 8 hours):
After (DHG-500 belt dryer – 50°C, 3 hours):
Production output:
Quality improvements:
Here's what Nguyen said after six months (paraphrased from a conversation, translated from Vietnamese):
"Sun drying was too slow and inconsistent. Rainy season was a nightmare – mold everywhere. High-temperature drying was fast but destroyed the volatile oils. Our European customers tested every batch and rejected those with low oil content."
"The DHG-500 changed that. Low temperature (50°C) preserves the gingerols. Our volatile oil content is consistently 1.7-2.0% – premium grade. The Japanese buyers now pay us 30% more."
"The 5-layer belt gives us 3 hours of gentle drying – much faster than sun drying but much lower temperature than hot air dryers. The color is light and uniform. The flavor is strong."
"A few operational notes: The slice thickness needs to be uniform – 3-5mm. Thicker slices take longer. The layer thickness is 20mm – any thicker and drying slows. The belts need daily cleaning – ginger residue is sticky."
"Would I recommend this machine? Yes. For any spice processor, low-temperature belt drying is essential for preserving volatile oils. The DHG-500 delivers premium quality at commercial scale."
Ginger's volatile oils are heat-sensitive. Here's why 50°C is optimal:
Gingerols: Start degrading above 60°C. At 80°C (hot air dryer), 40-50% are lost. At 50°C (belt dryer), 80-90% are retained.
Shogaols: Formed from gingerols during drying. Moderate heat (50°C) promotes optimal conversion. Excessive heat degrades both.
Essential oils: Aroma compounds evaporate at higher temperatures. Low-temperature drying preserves the fresh ginger aroma.
Color: High temperatures cause browning (Maillard reaction). Low temperatures preserve the natural light yellow color.
Nguyen's lab results:
| Parameter | Sun Dried | 80°C Dryer | 50°C Belt Dryer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gingerol content | 1.7% | 0.9% | 1.8% |
| Essential oil | 1.8% | 1.0% | 1.9% |
| Color score (1-10) | 6 | 4 | 9 |
| Drying time | 5-7 days | 8 hours | 3 hours |
Total drying time: 175 minutes. Much faster than sun drying (5-7 days) but at lower temperature than hot air dryers (80°C+).
Uniform slices dry evenly. No over-dried edges or under-dried centers.
Nguyen's mold rate dropped from 5-10% to zero.
The DHG-500 shipped from Qingdao to Port of Ho Chi Minh City (Cat Lai Port), Vietnam.
Shipping time from Qingdao to Ho Chi Minh City is about 5-7 days – very short. The route goes through the South China Sea.
The machine was packed in a 20-foot container. Customs clearance in Ho Chi Minh City took about 5 days. Total landed cost was about 20% higher than the FOB price.
The truck transport from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho was about 170km – roughly 3-4 hours.
Consider the DHG-500 if:
Consider a larger model (DHG-1000) if:
For Nguyen's spice processing plant, the DHG-500 was the right investment. It preserved volatile oils (1.8% average), achieved premium grade qualification, increased export price by 30%, and paid for itself in 6 months.
If you're a ginger processor selling to premium export markets, don't compromise on drying method. Sun drying is slow and inconsistent. High-temperature drying destroys the volatile oils that buyers pay for.
The DHG-500 ginger slice low temperature belt dryer operates at 50°C – the optimal temperature for preserving gingerols and essential oils. The 5-layer design provides 3 hours of gentle drying. The result is premium-grade dried ginger with strong flavor, light color, and high volatile oil content.
For premium ginger, the math is simple: low temperature = higher oil retention = premium pricing = faster payback.
RICHI offers documentation in Vietnamese, temperature guidance, spare parts kits, and remote support. Contact RICHI Machinery through the website with your product, target moisture, and capacity for a recommendation. Tell them about your export quality requirements – they can help you select the right dryer and temperature settings for optimal oil retention.
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