The impact of temperature and air velocity on the drying of pituca (Colocasia esculenta) sheets was investigated. The samples, 1.5 mm thick, were subjected to a tray dryer at three temperatures (45, 50 and 55 °C) and three air velocities (2.5; 3.0 and 3.5 m/s). After grinding the dried sheets, the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of the pituca flour were analyzed. The findings indicated that the drying curves conformed to the exponential model proposed by Herdenson and Pabis, with a coefficient of determination greater than 96%. The optimum treatment, T9, used a temperature of 55 °C and a speed of 3.5 m/s. It showed a critical moisture of 1.53 g/g dry pituca, an equilibrium moisture of 0.9 g/g dry pituca, and a critical time of 20 minutes. Values for ash, moisture, mesophilic aerobes, molds and yeasts were recorded at 3.37%, 8.04%, 9.90x103 CFU/g, and 2.40x103 ...

The objective was to characterize the mechanical properties of the bioplastic obtained with banana starch (Musa paradisiaca L.) and cellulosic compounds from coffee husks (Coffea arabica L.).. Starch was used in concentrations of 9, 12 and 15% and cellulose in concentrations of 2, 4 and 6%, mixing them with glycerin, acetic acid, calcium chloride and distilled water. The tensile, elongation and bending mechanical properties were characterized. The bioplastic with the highest traction was the F9 formulation (15% starch, 6% cellulose) with 2.23 N ± 0.242 and the F1 formulation (9% starch, 2% cellulose) with the lowest traction was the F1 formulation (9% starch, 2% cellulose) with 0.17 N ± 0.069; Formulation F7 (15% starch, 2% cellulose) presented the greatest elongation of 10.3 cm ± 1.528 and greatest flexion of 13.3 cm ± 1.155; and formulation F3 (9% starch, 6% cellulose) had the lowe...