1Department of Food Engineering, College of Food and Dairy Technology, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Koduvalli, Alamathi (Po), Chennai
2Department of Food Packaging and System Development, Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology, Pudukkottai Road, Thanjavur-613005, Tamilnadu, India
*E-mail: jerishjoyner@yahoo.co.in
Online published on 8 April, 2019.
This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of moisture content on selected physical properties of black gram grains. The physical properties were studied at six levels of moisture content ranging from 10.26 to 20.32% (w.b.). As the moisture content increased, the diameter of arithmetic mean and geometric mean of the grains increased from 3.830 to 4.152 mm and 3.787 to 4.108 mm respectively, while the sphericity decreased from 83.74 to 82.92%. The surface area increased from 45.02 to 52.98 mm2, 1000 grains mass increased from 42.73 to 50.03g and volume increased from 32.28 to 41.93 mm3. The bulk density and truedensity decreased from 799.17 to 785.96 kg/m3 and 1204.70 to 1191.73 kg/m3 respectively, whereas porosity and angle of repose increased from 33.66 to 34.05% and 22.45 to 27.39°, respectively. The static coefficient of friction on various surfaces also increased linearly in the specified range. The various properties measured would serve as a useful tool in process and equipment design.
Black gram, Equipment design, Moisture content, Physical properties
