Moisture sorption characteristics of chickpea flour

Moisture equilibrium data (adsorption and desorption) of chickpea flour were determined using the static gravimetric method of saturated salt solutions at four storage temperatures: 10, 20, 30 and 40 °C. The range of water activities for each temperature was between 0.11 and 0.85. Equilibrium moisture content decreased with the increase in storage temperature at any given water activity. The experimental data were fitted to four mathematical models (modified Chung-Pfost, modified Oswin, modified Halsey and modified Henderson). The monolayer moisture content was estimated from sorption data using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) equation. The isosteric heats of sorption were evaluated using Clausius-Clapeyron equation.