SORPTION ISOTHERMS AND ISOSTERIC HEAT OF PERICARP AND ENDOSPERM TISSUES OF ARABICA COFFEE FRUIT

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate and model the hygroscopic equilibrium and isosteric heat curves of pericarp and endosperm tissues of arabica (Coffea arabica) coffee fruit, in different temperature and relative humidity conditions. Sorption isotherms were drawn under temperatures from 20°C to 70°C and relative humidity ranging between 10% and 90% until the product reached the equilibrium water content with the environment. The experiment was set up in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme (four relative humidity of the drying air and three tissues of the coffee cherry pericarp + endosperm ...