MOISTURE ADSORPTION ISOTHERMS AND ISOSTERIC ENERGY FOR ALMOND

The equilibrium moisture contents of almond were determined using the gravimetric‐static method at 15, 30, 55 and 75C for powder and 15, 55 and 75C for nut state of almond for water activity (a_w) ranging from 0.11 to 0.87. At a given a_w, the results show that the moisture content decreases with increasing temperature. The experimental sorption curves are then described by the BET, GAB, Henderson, Oswin, Smith and Halsey models. A nonlinear regression‐analysis method was used to evaluate the constants of equations. The GAB model was found to be the most suitable for describing the sorption curves; the monolayer‐content values for the sorption at different temperatures are calculated. Also, the isosteric heats of adsorption of water were determined as a function of moisture content from the equilibrium data at different temperatures using the Clasius‐Clapeyron equation.