ABSTRACT.
The objective of this study was to model the kinetics of water sorption in roasted and ground coffee. Crude Arabica coffee beans with an initial moisture content of 0.1234 kgwkgdm -1 were used. These beans were roasted to a medium roast level (SCCA # 55) and ground at three particle sizes: coarse (1.19 mm), medium (0.84 mm) and fine (0.59 mm). To obtain the water sorption isotherms and the isosteric heat, different conditions of temperature and relative humidity were analyzed using the dynamic method at 25ºC (0.50, 0.60, 0.70, and 0.80 of RH) and 30°C (0.30, 0.40, 0.50, 0.60, 0.70, and 0.80 of RH) and using the static method at 25ºC (0.332 and 0.438 of RH). The GAB model best represented the hygroscopic equilibrium of roasted coffee at every particle size. Isosteric heat of sorption for the fine particle size increased with increments of equilibrium moisture content, indicating a strong bond energy between water molecules and the product components. The Gibbs free energy decreased with the increase in equilibrium moisture content and with temperature.
Keywords:
particle size; specific surface; isosteric heat.