The Sorption Isotherm of Pretreated Breadfruit Starch Flour

This study investigated the sorption isotherm of breadfruit starch with the view of providing sorption isotherm data that will enhance its storability and utilization in food formulation. The sorption isotherm of breadfruit starch flour at temperature levels (30, 35, 40, and 45 ℃) and water activity (ranging from 0.1 – 0.9) using sulphuric acid was experimentally investigated in an incubator until equilibrium moisture content (EMC) was obtained gravimetrically. The sorption data obtained was fitted into six different existing mathematical models using linear (Origin statistical procedure) and non-linear (Gauss-Newton) regression programs. The models were compared using the coefficient of determination (R2), residual mean square error (RMSE) and the sum of square error (SSE). The sorption models' predictive parameters were used to determine the best-fitting model. The results showed that the Modified Henderson model and Halsey model are best suited to predict the sorption isotherm of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) flour. In conclusion, this research gives insights for understanding the sorption isotherm behaviour of the breadfruit flour which is crucial in predicting shelf-life stability, designing and optimization of drying equipment and choosing appropriate packaging material for the product.