Post-harvest of parsley leaves (Petroselinum crispum): mathematical modelling of drying and sorption processes

Abstract

Parsley is a species of wide production and trade in Brazil due to its high consumption as a condiment, fresh or dried. In the development of equipment used for drying, it is important to simulate and obtain theoretical information about the behavior of water loss for each product. Given the increasing use and potential commercialization of condimental plants, the objective of this work was to determine the isosteric heat of parsley leaves and fit mathematical models to the experimental data obtained in drying and desorption processes. The modified GAB and Midilli models were the most appropriate to describe the desorption isotherms and drying curves, respectively, for the studied temperatures. The isosteric heat varied from 3394.6 to 2830.0 kJ kg-1 for the equilibrium moisture content in the range from 0.0154 to 3.7232 (d.b.).