Moisture sorption properties and glass transition temperature of a non-conventional exudate gum (Prosopis alba) from northeast Argentine

Water-solid interactions were explored in purified and freeze-dried Prosopis alba exudate gum as approach to get a deeper insight of structural and functional aspects of this novel biomaterial. Particularly, the study of water-binding properties combined with glass transition temperatures allowed obtaining interesting theoretical data for practical applications. The Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer (GAB) and Generalized D'Arcy and Watt (GDW) models were applied to describe the sorption behavior and thermodynamic properties of the studied gum. The study of the relationship between relative humidity, water content and thermal transitions allowed to characterize the material in terms of water plasticizing susceptibility as well as define the suitable storage conditions that guarantee the quality, safety and physical stability of P. alba gum. Obtained results contribute to the characterization of a non-conventional exudate gum with great potential for its use in different food industry applications.