The drying experiments at each temperature were conducted in triplicate. To construct the drying curves, experimental moisture contents were determined by weighing the sample at several times during drying and solving Eq. (1) for Wt. Data of room temperature and ambient relative humid- ity was recorded using a Testo 608-H2 thermohygrometer. Both parameters were supplied to a psychometric chart software (Akton Associates Inc., USA) to determine the relative humidity (hd) at the corresponding drying air temperature. The equilibrium moisture content at the drying conditions, We, was calculated with a correlation proposed by Leiva Díaz et al. (2009)