CONTINUOUS IN-PROCESS DETERMINATION OF MOISTURE LOSS FROM CURING PEANUTS

A field study was conducted to evaluate three types of instrumented we ighing platforms developed for in-process moisture determination of cu ring peanuts. The design, calibration, and testing of the weighing pla tforms and the controlling data acquisition system are described in de tail. Statistical analysis of the difference between the final moistur e content predicted by the platforms and the measured kernel moisture content of cured peanuts indicated that a bending beam weighing platfo rm with fixed ends most accurately predicted final kernel moisture con tent. The weighing platform system can easily be incorporated into exi sting curing facilities. It has the potential to reduce the number of samples required by conventional curing techniques and, by providing b etter moisture content information, reduce the incidence of overcuring or undercuring.