The goal of this study was to determine moisture sorption isotherms of fermented sea tangle powder (FSTP) at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 37 °C by using the static gravimetric technique in a water activity (aw)rangeof0.11to0.93andtheyexhibittypeIII behavior, typical of food products. At constant aw, an equilibrium moisture content (EMC) decreased with increasing temperature. The EMC increased with increasing aw at constant temperature. These moisture sorption isotherms have been fitted using eight different mathematical models. The Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) model presents the best fit in describing equilibrium moisture content and water activity relationships for the FSTP over the entire range of temperatures. Isosteric heat of sorption (IHS) was determined from the equilibrium sorption data using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The IHS decreased from 61.68 to 48.70 kJ/mol with increasing the EMC from 0.14 to 3.22 g/g dry basis, approaching the latent heat of vaporization of pure water (, 45.71 kJ/mol). The obtained IHS indicating intermolecular attractive forces between the moisture vapor and sorption sites is an important factor to predict the drying and storage processes for the FSTP.

• Daeung Yu(Institute of Food Industrialization, Institutes of Green Bio Science and Technology, Seoul National University)
• Moojoong Kim(Institute of Food Industrialization, Institutes of Green Bio Science and Technology, Seoul National University)
• Donghwa Chung(Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology, Seoul National University)