Determination of moisture diffusivity of lentil seed during drying

The mechanism of drying and the diffusion of water in green (fresh), red and whole lentils (4.20-4.32 mm diameter and 2.20-2.30 mm thickness) were successfully interpreted and modelled by using Fick's law. The moisture content of fresh green lentil was 55% and moisture content of the red and whole lentils was increased to 39-40% and drying temperature (45-60 degrees C) was varied, but the velocity and the humidity of the drying air was kept constant. The effective diffusuvity was estimated from drying rate curves and expressed by an Arrhenius relation.