African Journal of
Food Science

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Food Sci.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0794
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJFS
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 976

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of moisture content on selected physical properties of shea kernel of varying slice thickness

Divine N. BUP*
  • Divine N. BUP*
  • Higher Institute of the Sahel, University of Maroua, Cameroon. Department of Process Engineering, ENSAI, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
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Charles F. ABI
  • Charles F. ABI
  • Department of Chemistry, Higher Teachers’ Training College, University of Yaounde 1, PO Box 47, Yaounde, Cameroon.
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Dzudie TENIN
  • Dzudie TENIN
  • Department of Process Engineering, ENSAI, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
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Cesar KAPSEU
  • Cesar KAPSEU
  • Department of Process Engineering, ENSAI, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
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Clergé TCHIEGANG
  • Clergé TCHIEGANG
  • Department of Process Engineering, ENSAI, University of Ngaoundere, P.O. Box 455 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
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  •  Received: 17 June 2012
  •  Accepted: 12 December 2013
  •  Published: 31 January 2014

Abstract

Bulk density, kernel density, particle porosity and shrinkage of sheanut krnel slices were determined as a function of moisture content and slice thickness in order to establish preliminary design parameters for drying in an indirect solar dryer. Solid density increased linearly while bulk density decreased non-linearly during drying as the moisture content decreased from 150 to 5 %d.b. The porosities of the kernels ranged from 60.12 -67.91, 57.05-64.87  and 56.88-62.49%, respectively, for the 5, 10 and 15 mm slices. The volumetric shrinkage of the shea slices reduced with decrease in moisture content for all the particle sizes evaluated in this study. Among the shrinkage models tested, the empirical quadratic model gave the best fit of the experimental data. It is proposed that the mechanism of shrinkage in sheanut kernel slices is linked to the removal of water that leads to structural collapse.

Key words: Density, porosity, volumetric shrinkage, sheanut kernel, slices.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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