Análise experimental da secagem do corante hidrossolúvel de urucum (Bixa orellana L.) em leito de jorro

Abstract

The water-soluble dye annatto norbixin salt is mainly used in the pharmaceuticals industry, cosmetics and especially in industrial food sector in breads, sausages, yogurts, confectionery, pasta, cheese, sandwich cookies, juice concentrates and others. The low toxicity and its coloring ability make the annatto norbixin salt a very attractive and convenient dye, replacing many synthetic dyes. These characteristics encourage to seek ways to facilitate the use of natural dyes in the various segments of industry, as well as promoting research about obtaining in order to get a product with the desired characteristics and qualities. This work it is carried out experimental analysis of water soluble dye drying annatto (Bixa orellana L.) in spouted bed, using cassava starch as a carrier agent and particles of low-density poliestileno (LDPE) as an inert material. The extraction of the dye was carried out by immersion and agitation of annatto seeds in 5% potassium hydroxide solution. It is statistically evaluated the influence of the drying process input variables, temperature (70, 80 and 90 ° C), atomization pressure (10, 15 and 20 psi), and atomization of the suspension flow (10, 7 and 8.5 mL/min) one the response variables: efficiency (η), moisture content (U) and norbixin salt content of the dye powder (S), using Statistica®7.0 application. The estimate of the optimum condition of drying within the analyzed experimental area is determined based on the input variables applying the concept of global desirability. The conditions in this work, it was reached a optimum value of Desirability Function considered as very good and that matches the temperature of the drying air 82.6 °C, atomization pressure of 13.7 psi and flow of suspension dye 10 ml / min, generating satisfactory values for the response variables corresponding to 71.69 % yield, 0.06161 g H2O/g dry solids of moisture and 2.3605 % dye of norbixin salt powder.