High humidity drying of corn: Effect on drying rate and product quality

J. A. Estrada, J. B. Litchfield

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Drying of corn was studied at high and low humidity conditions. Drying rate was measured, and test weight (bulk density), solid density, stress cracks, and breakage susceptibility of the dried grain at 15% (w.b.) were measured. Twenty four 350-g samples were dried under eight drying conditions in the 71°-104 °C temperature range and 0.8%-80% RH relative humidity range. Each sample was exposed to the drying conditions by using a semi-closed air flow cycle through a thin-layer of grain. High humidity drying reduced the drying rate by up to 44% and did not increase bulk density or solid density significantly as compared with low humidity drying. However, high humidity drying did reduce the multiple stress cracks in the corn kernels by up to 33.0 percentage points, increased the number of kernels with no stress cracks by up to 28.7 percentage points, and reduced Wisconsin and Stein breakage susceptibilities by up to 8.9 and 13.5 percentage points, respectively.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)65-84
Number of pages20
JournalDrying Technology
Volume11
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1993

Keywords

  • breakage susceptibility
  • corn
  • density
  • stress cracks

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemical Engineering
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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