Recobrimento de sementes de linhaça (Linum usitatissimum L.) com suspensão biopolimérica em leito de jorro

Abstract

It was studied application of starch in natura come from manioc starch (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in obtaining a biopolymer suspension in the coating of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.), using as coating equipment a conventional spouted bed. We analyzed the physical and chemical characteristics of cassava starch and seeds, as well as the physiological characteristics of the seeds in natura and covered. Tests were carried out to obtain the biopolymer suspension including preliminary immersion coating tests, to evaluate the acceptance of the seed structure by the polymer matrix, based on physical data (angle of repose). For the execution of the coating process, tests were performed to define the coating operation, which included adjustments in the operating system from the study of fluid dynamics to the pumping of the suspension to make it possible to define the conditions of operation of the spouted bed. Fluid dynamics curves were constructed with different charges and atomization pressures, obtaining the fluid dynamic parameters ΔPM, ΔPje, ΔPmj and Umj. From the fluid dynamics results, the operating conditions were determined for a load of 1000 g of seeds, spray pressure of 5 psi, distance of the spray nozzle of 14 cm above the fixed seed bed and air velocity in the range of 1,9 to 1,29Umj. To analyze the coating process used an experimental design type PCCR considering the input variables, air temperature (Tar) and flow rate of the suspension (Qs), and efficiency responses (η), growt of the particle (δ), loss grip (Pad), process evaporation rate (Ėp), germination (G) and germination speed index (GSI). To estimate an optimal point of this operation was applied to define desirability function, wherein the generated optimum for the overall desirability was 0.9630 with the seed bed operating at 51 °C and 12 mL/min, respectively. The obtained results show that the coating process was efficient in relation to the values obtained for the responses and also to maintain the physiological qualities of the seeds. In addition, to open precedents for application in foods since the seeds covered had water activity of 0,34, in front of an initial activity of 0,62 for the seeds in natura.