Effect of gamma-ray irradiation on modeling equilibrium moisture content of wheat.

The experimental research found that gamma irradiation dose affected the equilibrium moisture content of wheat at the same relative humidity and temperature of ambient. Values of the equilibrium moisture content decreased with an increasing dose of gamma-ray irradiation during both adsorption and desorption. These were due to the changes of wheat starch granules and their water bound ability caused by different irradiation doses. Factor of irradiation dose was added in 3 widely used models for modeling the equilibrium moisture content of irradiated wheat, and the parameters in models were estimated based on the experimental data. Based on the study of correlation coefficient, mean relative error, and standard error the modified Chung-Pfost equation and the modified Henderson equation were found to fit the desorption and adsorption isotherms for wheat, respectively, in the range of experiment at conditions studied.