Knowledge of the movement of water molecules inside material is important for the study of interactions between water and chemical components of agricultural products. The thermodynamic properties calculation reports this need, being the source of information to design drying equipment, calculate the energy required in this process and evaluate the physical phenomena that occur on the food surface. Given the importance of the subject, the objective of this study was to determine the thermodynamic properties of the water desorption process in lettuce seeds. Lettuce seeds had an initial moisture content of 9.3% (d.b.). The equilibrium moisture content of seeds was determined by static gravimetric method at different temperatures (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 ± 1 °C) and relative humidity values (between 11 and 96%). Experiments were conducted in triplicate. It was observed that, with increasing equilibrium moisture content, there was a reduction in the energy required for evaporation of water in lettuce seeds, with values of integral isosteric heat of desorption in the water content range 2.1 to 21.2% (d.b.) which varied from '4164.89 to 2477.43' kJ kg -1 . With increasing equilibrium moisture content there was a decrease in differential entropy, resulting in lower demand for mobility of water molecules. The Gibbs free energy also decreased with increasing equilibrium moisture content and was positive for all temperatures studied, showing non-spontaneity of water desorption in the seeds. The enthalpy-entropy compensation theory was has been satisfactorily applied to the sorption phenomenon and the water desorption process in lettuce seeds was controlled by enthalpy. Key words: Differential enthalpy. Differential entropy. Enthalpy-entropy compensation theory. Equilibrium moisture content. Gibbs free energy. Isosteric heat.
ResumoO conhecimento da movimentação das moléculas de água dentro do material é importante para o correto estudo das interações entre a água e os componentes químicos dos produtos agrícolas. O cálculo das propriedades termodinâmicas relata essa necessidade, sendo fonte de informação para projetar equipamentos de secagem, calcular a energia requerida nesse processo e avaliar os fenômenos físicos que ocorrem na superfície dos alimentos. Diante da importância do assunto, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar as propriedades termodinâmicas do processo de dessorção de água em sementes de alface. As sementes de alface possuíam teor de água inicial de 9,3% (b.s. equilíbrio das sementes foi determinado pelo método estático-gravimétrico para diferentes valores de temperatura (10, 20, 30, 40 e 50 ± 1 °C) e atividade de água (entre 11 e 96%), em três repetições. De acordo com os resultados encontrados, observou-se que com o aumento do teor de água de equilíbrio, ocorre redução da energia necessária para a evaporação da água nas sementes de alface, sendo que os valores do calor isostérico integral de dessorção, na faixa de teor de água de 2,1 a 21,2% (b.s.), variaram de 4164,89 a 2477,43 kJ kg -1 ...