Abstract
Abstract
In Sub-Saharan Africa, drying maize on their stem was the traditional technique frequently used; this technique must be improved to avoid contaminations and to increase the quality of drying. However, the method of storage is accountable for the most significant losses after harvest, because mildew develops when the conditions of storage (too high temperature and moisture of the air) do not tally with the final content of the dried product. Sorption isotherms of products are most important to model moisture uptake during storage and distribution. Sorption isotherms of intermediate moisture content maize grains were determined using the gravimetric static method of saturated salt solutions at 30°C, 40°C, 50°C, and 60°C, and GAB equation was applied to discuss the results. This model correctly describes the evolutions of maize sorption isotherms, with maximum deviation of 0.0080 kg water/kg db. The net isosteric heat of sorption was determined also, using the Clausius–Clapeyron equation, and it was varied from 463 kJ/kg to 1,264 kJ/kg, decreasing with increasing moisture content. This effect was well described by an exponential function with a regression coefficient R2 > 97%. The monolayer moisture content was found to decrease with increasing temperature. These results can be used to predict the potential changes in the stability of maize grains and later for the development of a system of suitable drying.
Subject
Engineering (miscellaneous),Food Science,Biotechnology
Cited by
6 articles.
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