UNIFICATION OF FRUIT WATER SORPTION ISOTHERMS USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

The chemical composition, water activity, temperature and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) for 10 selected fruits were determined. Two methods of water sorption modeling, the GAB equation and the artificial neural network (ANN) method, were compared for their ability to predict water sorption behavior. Unlike the GAB equation, which uses only physical data for modeling, the ANN method uses both physical and chemical compositional data to make predictions. The ANN was superior, in most cases, to that of the GAB equation, in predicting EMC. This superiority was due to the availability of the additional chemical compositional information. The ANN method could predict EMC with a mean relative error of 9.85% and a standard error (S _x ) of 1.59% EMC. The correlation coefficient (r ²) of the relationship between the actual and predicted values of equilibrium moisture content obtained by the ANN was 0.9938. The ANN model was able to show a temperature dependent crossing of water sorption isotherms, due to the dissolution of sugar crystals in the fruit. The ANN was also able to predict the extent of crossing, depending upon differences in the individual fruit chemical composition.     

UNIFICATION OF FRUIT WATER SORPTION ISOTHERMS USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

The chemical composition, water activity, temperature and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) for 10 selected fruits were determined. Two methods of water sorption modeling, the GAB equation and the artificial neural network (ANN) method, were compared for their ability to predict water sorption behavior. Unlike the GAB equation, which uses only physical data for modeling, the ANN method uses both physical and chemical compositional data to make predictions. The ANN was superior, in most cases, to that of the GAB equation, in predicting EMC. This superiority was due to the availability of the additional chemical compositional information. The ANN method could predict EMC with a mean relative error of 9.85% and a standard error (S_x) of 1.59% EMC. The correlation coefficient (r²) of the relationship between the actual and predicted values of equilibrium moisture content obtained by the ANN was 0.9938. The ANN model was able to show a temperature dependent crossing of water sorption isotherms, due to the dissolution of sugar crystals in the fruit. The ANN was also able to predict the extent of crossing, depending upon differences in the individual fruit chemical composition.     

CONDUCTIVE DRYlNG CHARACTERISTICS OF GELATINIZED RICE STARCH

The main objective of the experiment in thispaper is to investigate the influence of the ratio of the thickness of the plate and that of the film, and initial condi- tions on the conductive drying characteristics of thin films of gelatinized rice starch on a hot plate under constant heat and mass transfer to the surroundings. The plate was. supported on one arm of a sensitive balance which measured and recorded the weight loss due to drying. Tbennocouples situated at the upper and lower surfaces of the plate recorded the respective temperatures. The gelatinized starch was prepared by cooking a slurry of rice starchin a heated and agitated vessel at slightly above the gelatinization temperatureof the starch 70C. The film was applied after the plate was heated to its initial temperature which ranged from 70C to 119C. The weight 10s and the temperature of the upper and lower surfaces of the plate were recorded. The m3isture content of the dried sample was determined by measuring the weight loss after heating it in an oven at 90C for 24 hours.The dimensionless average moisture content was fitted to the drying rate eauation of the form The dimensionless temperature of tbe filmplate interface data was fitted to the following equation It was found that the critlcal moisture content Xc increases when both the intial temperature level and the ratio of the thickness of the plate to that of the film are raised. The dimensionless avenge moisture content profiles against dimensionless time and the dimensionless drying rate ploti against the dimensionless moisture content are not affected at all by this ratio. There was an initial cooling period fol lowed by a continuous rue in temperature. The dimensionless temperature is independent of the ratio of the thickness of rbe plate to that of the film. The dimen     

CONDUCTIVE DRYlNG CHARACTERISTICS OF GELATINIZED RICE STARCH

The main objective of the experiment in thispaper is to investigate the influence of the ratio of the thickness of the plate and that of the film, and initial condi- tions on the conductive drying characteristics of thin films of gelatinized rice starch on a hot plate under constant heat and mass transfer to the surroundings. The plate was. supported on one arm of a sensitive balance which measured and recorded the weight loss due to drying. Tbennocouples situated at the upper and lower surfaces of the plate recorded the respective temperatures. The gelatinized starch was prepared by cooking a slurry of rice starchin a heated and agitated vessel at slightly above the gelatinization temperatureof the starch 70C. The film was applied after the plate was heated to its initial temperature which ranged from 70C to 119C. The weight 10s and the temperature of the upper and lower surfaces of the plate were recorded. The m3isture content of the dried sample was determined by measuring the weight loss after heating it in an oven at 90C for 24 hours.The dimensionless average moisture content was fitted to the drying rate eauation of the form The dimensionless temperature of tbe filmplate interface data was fitted to the following equation It was found that the critlcal moisture content Xc increases when both the intial temperature level and the ratio of the thickness of the plate to that of the film are raised. The dimensionless avenge moisture content profiles against dimensionless time and the dimensionless drying rate ploti against the dimensionless moisture content are not affected at all by this ratio. There was an initial cooling period fol lowed by a continuous rue in temperature. The dimensionless temperature is independent of the ratio of the thickness of rbe plate to that of the film. The dimen     

Optimization of Drum Drying Parameters for Low Amylose Rice (KDML105) Starch and Flour

An attempt was made to study and model the effects of drum drying process variables on the physico-chemical properties of low amylose rice (KDML105) flour and starch. Drum surface temperature, holding time and solid content of the slurry were varied at three levels: 115-135°C, 14-84 s and 20-40%, w/w, respectively. The dependent variables were moisture content (MC), degree of gelatinization (DG), water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) and pasting property. High solid content led to a decrease in DG, WAI and initial peak viscosity (IPV) and increase in WSI of dried samples. Longer holding time resulted in increased DG while surface temperature had no significant effect on all characteristics. Predictive correlations were developed using stepwise multiple linear regression to predict MC, DG, WAI, WSI, and IPV of dried products from drum drying variables.     

Characterizing water sorption in 100% solids epoxy coatings

In the present work, water sorption kinetics and equilibrium in 100% solids epoxy coatings are investigated by immersion into distilled water baths from 20 to 85 °C (absorption tests) and drying in a furnace between 60 and 85 °C (desorption tests). The gravimetric liquid sorption measurements reveal a non-Fickian two-stage diffusion behaviour during both absorption and desorption. The effect of hydrothermal history was also investigated. Cycling the immersion bath temperature increases the saturation values. Alternating sorption–desorption cycles increases the speed of water movement. The hydrothermal-induced coating degradation and the sorption modes are discussed.     

Physical and Thermal Stability of Spray-Dried Swiss Cheese Bioaroma Powder

The effect of water content on the glass transition temperature of Swiss cheese bioaroma microencapsulated with a spray dryer was determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) while mass loss was determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The sorption isotherm behavior was assessed at 15–45°C. Data were fitted with different sorption models. The bioaroma microparticles were produced via spray drying in a matrix with a 1:1 ratio (w/w) of maltodextrin 20DE and modified corn starch (Capsul). The isotherms displayed Type II behavior, and the best fit was obtained by the Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB) model (coefficient of determination R² ≥ 0.98). The DSC analysis showed that the increased equilibrium moisture content caused a significant reduction in the T_g of the microparticles. The samples stored at intermediate humidity showed thermal stability and the samples with equilibrium moisture content of 17.92% showed a lower mass loss.     

Uptake of fluids by boreal wood chips: Implications for bioenergy

As part of a long term study of pipeline transport of wood chips for bioenergy applications, we have determined the uptake of two fluids by hardwood and softwood chips from the boreal forest. Water or oil would be the likely carrier fluids in pipelining wood chips for ultimate use as bioenergy (e.g. any of combustion, gasification, pyrolysis to form bio-oil, or fermentation to ethanol). Uptake of water and a heavy gas oil by spruce and aspen poplar wood chips has been measured as a function of immersion time. One unit (mass) of spruce wood chips with an initial moisture level of 53% (wet basis, all percentages expressed as mass %) immersed in water for 48 h absorbs an additional 0.52 units of water to reach a moisture level of 69%, initial water uptake is rapid, with a subsequent very slow increase with time; equilibrium does not appear to have been reached. One unit of spruce chips immersed in heavy gas oil for 48 h absorbs 0.41 units of heavy gas oil to reach an oil content of 29%; uptake of oil is slower than water, and has not reached an equilibrium. Similar figures for aspen poplar are an initial moisture level of 45%, an uptake of an additional 0.57 units of water to reach a moisture level of 65%, and an uptake of 0.51 units of oil to reach an oil content of 34%. For both oil and water, draining in excess of one hour does not reduce the measured uptake of water or oil. The moisture level in wood chips after immersion is not affected by the initial moisture level in the chip; lost water due to drying is quickly reabsorbed. Oil uptake is significantly higher in wood chips that have a lower initial moisture content.     

Heats and Entropies of Sorption of Cereal Grains : A Comparison Between Integral and Differential Quantities

Several thermodynamic properties for maize, rough rice and wheat has been calculated using desorption isotherms available in the literature. It was obtained an analytical expression to predict the differential heat (isosteric) as function of moisture content using a three parameters equilibrium model, based on enthalpy-entropy compensation effect, which takes into account the effet of temperature. Two integral heats of sorption were calculated, the first from the slopes of the iso-spreading pressure lines and the second from integration of the differential heat. This last one was used to estimate the energy requirement to remove water from initial moisture content to different final moisture levels, which is useful in drying area. Finally it was calculated the differential and integral entropies of sorption as function of moisture content.     

Optimization of Drum Drying Parameters for Low Amylose Rice (KDML105) Starch and Flour

Abstract

An attempt was made to study and model the effects of drum drying process variables on the physico–chemical properties of low amylose rice (KDML105) flour and starch. Drum surface temperature, holding time and solid content of the slurry were varied at three levels: 115–135°C, 14–84 s and 20–40%, w/w, respectively. The dependent variables were moisture content (MC), degree of gelatinization (DG), water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI) and pasting property. High solid content led to a decrease in DG, WAI and initial peak viscosity (IPV) and increase in WSI of dried samples. Longer holding time resulted in increased DG while surface temperature had no significant effect on all characteristics. Predictive correlations were developed using stepwise multiple linear regression to predict MC, DG, WAI, WSI, and IPV of dried products from drum drying variables.     

Influence of hot air fluidized bed drying on quality changes of purple rice

The influence of drying using a fluidization technique on the quality of purple rice was investigated in this study. The results demonstrated that the initial moisture of rice was 28.3% dry basis (db). Compared to the sun-dried or reference purple rice samples, the influence of drying at temperatures ranging from 100 to 150°C did not affect the quality of color, anthocyanin content, total phenolic content, or antioxidant activity. At this initial moisture level, samples should be dried at 150°C air because such temperatures yield the highest drying rate. Drying at this temperature also causes an increase in the head purple rice yield because of the gelatinization of starch. In the case of an initial moisture content of 33.3% (db), the drying temperature should not exceed 130°C.     

Moisture Adsorption Isotherms and Glass Transition Temperature of Xanthan Gum

The moisture adsorption isotherms of the xanthan gum were determined at 30-70°C over water activity ranging from 0.11 to 0.94. The moisture adsorption isotherms revealed that the equilibrium moisture content increased with water activity. Increased temperature, in general, resulted in decreased equilibrium moisture content. However, in some cases equilibrium moisture content values increased with temperature. Selected sorption models were tested to describe the adsorption isotherms. Parameters of each sorption model were determined by nonlinear regression analysis. The modified Oswin model gave the best fit for xanthan gum. The isosteric heat of sorption decreased with increase in moisture content and varied between 1.66 and 7.61 kJ/mol. The glass transition temperature decreased with increase in moisture content for xanthan gum.     

Moisture Adsorption Isotherms and Glass Transition Temperature of Xanthan Gum

The moisture adsorption isotherms of the xanthan gum were determined at 30–70°C over water activity ranging from 0.11 to 0.94. The moisture adsorption isotherms revealed that the equilibrium moisture content increased with water activity. Increased temperature, in general, resulted in decreased equilibrium moisture content. However, in some cases equilibrium moisture content values increased with temperature. Selected sorption models were tested to describe the adsorption isotherms. Parameters of each sorption model were determined by nonlinear regression analysis. The modified Oswin model gave the best fit for xanthan gum. The isosteric heat of sorption decreased with increase in moisture content and varied between 1.66 and 7.61 kJ/mol. The glass transition temperature decreased with increase in moisture content for xanthan gum.     

Optimal Operating Conditions to Produce Nutritious Partially Parboiled Brown Rice in a Humidified Hot Air Fluidized Bed Dryer

V-type amylose–lipid complexes present in partially parboiled rice can decrease starch digestibility. Formation of such complexes can be accomplished using high-temperature fluidized bed drying; the degree of the complexes depends on the thermal condition. The effects of drying media (hot air and humidified hot air), operating conditions (drying air temperature and relative humidity [RH]), and the initial moisture content on the degree of V-type crystallinity and subsequent starch digestibility (or glycemic index, GI) and brown rice texture were examined experimentally. The results showed that paddy drying with humidified hot air (HHA) requires a longer time than hot air (HA). Higher drying air temperature, RH, and initial moisture content of paddy yield higher degrees of starch gelatinization and V-type amylose–lipid complexes. The brown rice dried by HA or HHA had lower starch digestibility and a harder texture than the reference sample. Within the range of parameters studied, to obtain the lowest GI for the dried brown rice, paddy at an initial moisture content of 33% (db) should be dried by HHA at 150°C and 6.4% RH.     

Dynamic determination of sorption isotherm of cement based materials

A dynamic method of determining sorption isotherm is proposed. Changes in humidity boundary conditions were applied to specimens of hardened cement paste having various water–cement ratios, as well as to autoclaved aerated concrete, and water adsorption rates were continuously recorded in a sufficiently short period. The diffusion equation was analytically solved and was fitted to the adsorption rates resulting in the rapid estimation of equilibrium moisture content. Results of equilibrium moisture content, the primary data of moisture capacity, showed good agreement with literature values. The adsorption rate measurement took 8 h for autoclaved aerated concrete and 12 h for hardened cement paste with a measurement interval of 60 s to predict an equilibrium moisture content at an ambient relative humidity.     

APPLICATION OF PELEG'S EQUATION IN DESORPTION STUDIES OF FOOD SYSTEMS: A CASE STUDY WITH SAGO METROXYLON SAGU ROTTB STARCH

ABSTRACT

Moisture desorption is pertinent to the modelling of dehydration of food systems. The variation of moisture content with time during desorption of sago starch from six towns in Papua New Guinea was analysed using Peleg's equation. Three temperatures (30° 407deg; and 45° C) and four aw ranging from 0.103 - 0.923 were studied. The equation gave a highly significant fit to the experimental data ( r2 - 0.998 - 1.000), the two constants (Ki and K2) were obtained and both constants varied significantly (p< 0.05) with the source of the starch, temperature and aw. Kz was used to calculate the (true) equilibrium moisture content and this was unaffected by the length of the curve used in the computation. The true equilibrium moisture content approximated the moisture content that would have been obtained when weight changes were fairly constant (pseudo-equilibrium moisture content) The true equilibrium moisture content was shown to be more reliable and consequently recommended for sorption studies.     

Effect of surface esterification with octenyl succinic anhydride on hydrophilicity of corn starch films

Surface of corn starch films was modified through esterification using octenyl succinic anhydride as reactant. Physical properties of the films, moisture absorption, and water contact angle were measured to characterize the effect of the surface esterification modification. The influences of the concentration of alkaline aqueous solution for activating starch, reaction temperature, and time were investigated. It was found that the pretreatments with 1.0% or 2.0% NaOH aqueous solution and reacting at 35°C for 6 h gave rise to films possessing higher water contact angle, lower equilibrium moisture content, and moisture absorption rate at 95% relative humidity (RH). After the surface esterification modification, the equilibrium moisture content of the starch film decreased up to 29% at 95% RH and the surface water contact angle of the film increased up to 83%. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

From the sigmoidal to the downward concave shape behavior during the hydration of grains: Effect of the initial moisture content on Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis)

This work studied the change of the hydration behavior of Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis) as a function of their initial moisture content. By studying the hydration kinetics at different initial moisture contents, it was demonstrated that the hydration behavior of this grain changes from the sigmoidal to the downward concave shape (DCS) when the initial moisture content is above ∼20% d.b. This change happens when the moisture content passes from zone II to zone III of the grain's adsorption isotherm. This was attributed to the transition from the glassy state to the rubbery state, especially the in seed coat components. The seed coat is impermeable when the moisture content of the grain is low, so the water ingress is only by way of the hilum. However, when the seed coat is above ∼20% d.b. the water enters not only via the hilum, but also by way of the seed coat. The hydration behavior of the grain was modeled using a sigmoidal mathematical model, whose parameters were evaluated as a function of the initial moisture content; the water absorption rate parameter demonstrated a sigmoidal increasing behavior. The time to reach the inflexion point of the curve, related to the lag phase, showed an exponential decay. The equilibrium moisture content was not affected. Finally, a general model, which was able to predict the moisture content as a function of the initial moisture content of the grain and the process time, was obtained.     

EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT OF DRIED BLOOD FLOUR FN THE TEMPERATURE RANGE OF 20 - 50°C

ABSTRACT

The paper presents results of water sorption tests of dried blood flour carried out tinder laboratory conditions and mathematical analyses of sorption isotherms obtained. Moisture equilibrium data were investigated at air temperatures in the range of 20–50°C and water activity ranging from 0 4 to 0 99. The experimental procedure used was a gravimetric dynamic method with continuous registration of sample weight changes. Sorption capacity decreases as temperature increases. Rehydration of the dried material results in hysteresis but this phenomenon was small. Four models of equilibrium moisture content/equilibrium relative air humidity (Chung—Pfost. Halsey. Henderson, and Oswin) were evaluated for their ability to fit data for the samples of dried blood. The modified Henderson equation was a good model for moisture adsorption and desorption of dried blood flour