Journal of Advances in Food Science & Technology

Banana, (matooke) Musa sp. triploid acuminate genome group (AAA-EAHB) is an important crop in Uganda. Matookeflour contains more than 80% starch (db) which is good for both food and nonfood industrial applications, however, there is no information on moisture sorption isotherm for matooke. The main objective of the study was to establish the moisture sorption isotherms for matooke flour in order to standardize the stability of raw matooke flour with respect to microbiology and shelf life. The static gravitation method recommended by COST 90 Project was used for determination of moisture sorption isotherms. Matooke isotherms exhibited type II curve behavior which is characteristic of foodstuffs. Among the six models fitted to describe the adsorption and desorption isotherms for matooke, the GAB model best described all the adsorption and desorption moisture isotherms. Matooke should be dried to moisture content below or equal to 10% (wb) in order to obtain a microbiologically shelf-stable dry product (matooke flour). The hysteresis phenomenon was exhibited by the moisture sorption isotherms for matooke. The isoteric heat of sorption for both adsorption and desorption isotherms increased with decreased moisture content. Matooke’s total isosteric heat of sorption for the adsorption and desorption isotherms ranged between 4,586 – 2,386 kJ/kg and 18,194– 2,391 kJ/kg respectively, for equilibrium moisture content from 0.3 – 0.01 (db). The minimum energy required for drying 1 kg of fresh matooke from 80 - 10% (wb) was 5,793 kJ.