Efeito da temperatura do ar de secagem, do teor de umidade e do estádio de maturacao no módulo de deformidade de frutos de café (Coffea arabica L.)

Defomabily modulus values for coffee fruits (Coffea arabica L.) submitted to compressions are presented in this work. The effects of the fruit maturation level, moisture content, drying temperature and product deformation were investigated. The fruits of the variety Catuaí Vermelho were submitted to the following procedures: color classification ("green", "green-cherry" and "cherry"); drying process (thin layer at temperatures of 40, 50 and 60 °C) and compression tests (testing machine "EMIC"). The defomabiliy modulus was obtained from experimental data (force versus deformation curves) and from the theory of convex bodies under compression.