CINÉTICA DE SECAGEM DO EPICARPO, MESOCARPO E SEMENTE DE ARATICUM (Annona crassiflora)

Abstract

The araticunzeiro is an araticum tree and can reach growth between four and eight meters in height. It usually occurs in dry and sandy areas. It has slow growth and usually bears fruit when it reaches two meters. Araticunzeiro fruits are very popular and appreciated. Depending on the region, it is known as pinecone, ata, marolo, countess, blackhead, among others. The name araticum is derived from tupi and means “hard and tough tree, tasty, or soft fruit”, is covered by a thick brown bark and has smooth and black seeds inside with a delicious pulp around it. Araticum-do-cerrado fruits are much appreciated for having a characteristic aroma and a slightly acidic flavor. It is widely consumed in fresh form and mainly in the form of cookies, jellies, juices, liqueurs, cakes, ice cream, sweets, among many other recipes. The pulp is sweet, rich in iron, potassium, calcium, vitamin A, C, B1 and B2. The epicarp, mesocarp and seed of araticum fruits were dried at 40, 50, 60 and 70°C. The Midilli, Logarithmic and Two Terms models can be used to represent the araticum epicarp drying, being the Midilli model indicated. The Page model is the model indicated to represent the araticum mesocarp drying. Thompson, Page, Midilli, Logarithmic, Two-Term Exponential, Two-Term, and Diffusion Approximation models can be used to represent araticum seed drying, and the Page model is indicated to represent drying. The dependence of the effective diffusion coefficient of the epicarp, mesocarp and araticum seed in relation to the drying air temperature was satisfactorily represented by the Ahrrenius expression. The linear model represented the effective diffusion coefficient as a function of drying temperature. The evaluation of Gibbs' enthalpy, entropy and free energy, both enthalpy and entropy tend to decrease when the temperature rises.