DETERMINATION OF DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT OF WATER IN REHYDRATED AMARANTHUS CRUENTUS SEEDS

oleh: María L. Balmaceda, Adriana N. Bochetto, Stella M. Zaniolo, Odil N. Fernandez, Renata M. Bomben, María T. Malka

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Executive Business School 2015-06-01

Deskripsi

In this work is estimated the effective diffusion coefficients of water in rehydrated amaranth seeds for further efficiency and quality studies of popped grain. The seeds were rehydrated by immersion in water at 11, 35 and 50°C during time intervals of 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 h in order to determine gravimetrically the moisture content in each condition studied. The diffusion coefficient was estimated by diffusional model based on Fick's second law analytical solution, considering amaranth seed as a sphere of radius 0.6 mm. The equilibrium moisture under the studied conditions was measured after 24 h of rehydrating. The results were similar to those found by other authors for quinoa seeds and other varieties of amaranth, with similar features. The values of the effective diffusion coefficients increased with increasing temperature.