Comparison of the Sorption Isotherm Characteristics of Two Cassava Products

Abstract

The sorption characteristics of two cassava products were obtained using the gravimetric method at three temperatures, 20, 30, and 40 degrees C. The GAB, BET, and the modified BET models were found to describe the data reasonably well. The heat of sorption, which varied from 39.47 kJ/mol at 1% moisture content to 4.92 kJ.mol(-1) at 20% moisture content dry basis, was calculated for the garified product. Similar values for the ungarified product were found to vary from 26.98 kJ/mol at 1% moisture content to 4.97 kJ/mol at 20% moisture content. The shelf-life for both products were estimated from sorption data and recommendations on their packaging and storage conditions given. The garified product was found to have a higher capacity for moisture adsorption and also potentially stores longer than the ungarified product.