Simulation of Moisture and Chlorophyll Changes in Dried Laver, Porphyra Yezoensis, in a Desiccant-Enclosing Packaging System

Abstract

A computer-aided technique was used to design a packaging system to keep dried laver, Porphyra yezoensis. Loss of chlorophyll a in dried laver could be described by first-order kinetics at all water activities tested. A linear relationship was obtained between the logarithm of the first order rate constant and moisture content. An empirical equation proved to be suitable to express the moisture sorption isotherms of dried laver and of desiccant. With these results, mathematical models to evaluate the moisture and chlorophyll a changes of the packaging system which included an enclosed desiccant was developed. Simulated values obtained by the proposed models gave a close approximation to the actual values.