Abstract

Water desorption isotherms of fermented cocoa beans from Ivory Coast were determined using the gravimetric static method of saturated salts solutions at 30 °C, 40 °C and 60 °C, and isosteric heats of desorption were calculated from Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The experimental data were fitted to several isotherm equations. The best fittings were obtained for the BET equation for aw<0.50 (with an average mean relative deviation (MRD) value of 1.56%) and for the Harkins-Jura equation for aw?0.50 (with an average value MRD equation of 4.17%). The isotherms obtained at 30 °C and 40 °C are practically coincident and overlapped for aw below 0.40. Fermented cocoa beans presented a monolayer moisture content of 0.083 dry basis (d.b.) at 30 °C and this value decreases with increasing temperature. The net isostheric heats of desorption for fermented cocoa beans for the temperature range studied (30-60 °C) were estimated as a function of moisture content. The maximum net isosteric heat of desorption for fermented cocoa beans was estimated at around 13.51 kJ/mol corresponding to a moisture content value of 2.85%. The energy requirement for maintaining the moisture content low of 8.7% (d.b.) or 8% wet basis (w.b.) for safe storage of this product or for reducing the moisture content during drying was estimated at around 9.58 kJ/mol.

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