MOISTURE RELATIONS OF DRIED PEAS, SHELLED ALMONDS AND LUPINS

The relationship between moisture content and equilibrium relative humidity (e.r.h.) measured by a dew-point method, was determined over the range 30-90% r.h. for dried peas, shelled almonds and lupins at 15, 25 and 35°C. For dried peas the e.r.h. relationship was conventional, and at 70% r.h. and 25°C the equilibrium moisture contents were 14.8% when desorbing and 14.3% when adsorbing moisture. The relationship for three varieties of almonds was unusual in that there was little hysteresis between adsorption and desorption. The mean moisture content of the two, in equilibrium with 70% r.h. at 25°C was 5.9% for Moroccan sweet, 6.4% for Moroccan bitter and 6.8% for Californian sweet almonds. With dried peas and almonds the e.r.h. increased with temperature, and the moisture contents determined before and after e.r.h. determination were similar, which has been usual with stored products previously studied. However when the moisture of lupins was raised above 11% by adding water as a liquid, the moisture content after e.r.h. determination at 35°C was apparently lower than it had been just previously following e.r.h. determination at the lower temperatures. This implied loss of moisture was not detected when water was added in the vapour phase. At 70% r.h. and 25°C the equilibrium moisture contents were 12.3% when adding liquid water and 13.0% when water was added in the vapour phase. © 1979.