title: Hygroscopic behavior and degree of caking of grugru palm (Acrocomia aculeata) powder.
abstract: This work aims to investigate the hygroscopic behavior of grugru palm powder through adsorption isotherms and its degree of caking. The powders of grugru palm (T1 - without maltodextrin, T2 - with 8 % of maltodextrin) were obtained by oven drying at 65 °C for 25 h. The experimental data was obtained through static gravimetric method at temperatures of 25, 30, 35 and 40 °C with different saturated salt solutions. The models of GAB, BET, Henderson, and Oswin were fitted to experimental data. The values of hygroscopicity were 6.39 and 5.17 % and degrees of caking were 3.11 and 0.03 % for T1 and T2, respectively. The adsorption isotherms from mathematical models can be classified as Type III. The GAB and Oswin models were the best representing the behavior of the powder isotherms, T1 and T2, respectively. The grugru palm powder proved to be non-hygroscopic and non-agglomerating. The T2 with 8 % of maltodextrin presented the lowest hygroscopicity.
authors.affiliation: Center of Agricultural Sciences, Postgraduate degree in food Science, State University of Maringá, Avenida Colombo, 5790. Bloco J-45 sala 16A, CEP: 87.020-900 Maringá, PR Brazil.
authors.forename: Dalany Menezes
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of Maringá, Avenida Colombo, 5790, CEP: 87.020-900 Maringá, PR Brazil.
authors.forename: Edmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clemente
authors.affiliation: Center of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Food Technology, Federal University of Ceará, Avenida Mister Hull, 2977, Alagadiço, Campus do Pici, Bloco 858, CEP: 60.356-000 Fortaleza, CE Brazil.
authors.forename: José Maria Correia
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: da Costa
keywords: Acrocomia aculeata; Degree of caking; Food drying; Isotherms; Mathematical modeling; Powder technology; Sorption isotherms