Water sorption and dehydration kinetics of Tunisian rosemary leaves

Abstract

Water sorption isotherms of rosemary were investigated at three temperatures: 30, 40 and 50°C, corresponding to drying temperatures, by the static method consisting of the use of different sulphuric acid solutions, over a range of relative humidity from 0.05 to 0.9. Experimental data are used to determine the best models for predicting the desorption equilibrium moisture content of rosemary for known values of temperature and relative humidity. The second part of this study deals with the drying kinetics of rosemary in an infrared dryer. The experimental results are used to determine the characteristic curve of drying.