It was studied the effect of extrusion variables on the water absorption characteristics of pre-gelatinized flours (FME) resulting from the extrusion of white rice (FAP) and jabuticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba) dried bagasse flour (FBJ). Response surface methodology (RSM) type 2³ was used as a predictive mathematical model to evaluate the flour stability. The experimental design was used to study the effect of two levels of FBJ replacement as a fiber source (15 and 25%), two levels of screw speed (100 and 200 rpm) and two temperatures of the 3rd heating zone (120 and 180ºC) resulting in eight treatments. The water absorption of FME, FAP and FBJ were compared by analysing the absorption isotherms water activity (Aw), which varied from 0.113 to 0.973 at 25ºC. The isotherms experimental data were adjusted to GAB mathematical model, which generated the Xm (equilibrium moisture of the monolayer) coefficient applied to RSM as a variable response to evaluate the stability of the pre-gelatinized flours. The results showed the importance of the three variables during the extrusion process. The isotherms curves presented a typical surface hydrophilic characteristic having a sigmoidal type II shape. The region of intermediate moisture revealed that FAP adsorbed higher water content per unit of Aw, followed by FME. FBJ showed the lowest hygroscopic character. Concerning the stability of pre-gelatinized flour, the three extrusion variables were statiscally significant. The stability increased with the increase of FBJ flour content and also with the extruder temperature, whereas it decreased as the screw speed reduced, although with lower effect. The combination of high temperature and FBJ content improves the stability of the extruded flours.
extrusion; rice flour; adsorption isotherms; tropical fruits; GAB mathematical model
