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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #299608
Title: Microwave moisture meter for in-shell almonds.

Author
item Trabelsi, Samir
item NELSON, STUART - Collaborator

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2013
Publication Date: 7/21/2013
Citation: Trabelsi, S., Nelson, S.O. 2013. Microwave moisture meter for in-shell almonds.. ASABE Annual International Meeting. p.1699-1702.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Determining almond kernel moisture content while still in the shell is important for both almond growers and processors. A dielectric method was developed for almond kernel moisture determination from dielectric measurements on in-shell almonds at a single microwave frequency. A sample holder was filled with in-shell almonds and placed between two flat antennas. The dielectric properties were determined from measurement of attenuation and phase shift caused by the sample at a single microwave frequency (5.8 GHz). A density-independent calibration function expressed in terms of the dielectric properties of in-shell almonds was used to correlate these properties to the moisture content of almond kernels. Results of measurements will be shown for moisture ranging from 4.8% to 16.5% and temperatures ranging from 5.2 deg. To 45 deg. C. Calibration equations with temperature compensation for the prediction of almond kernel moisture content from measurements on in-shell almonds will be given along with corresponding standard errors.