Cereal Chem 66:196-200   |  VIEW ARTICLE

Moisture Exchange Determined by a Conductance Meter in Single Kernels of Corn Blends.

Z. Czuchajowska, X. Chen, J. Harris, and Y. Pomeranz. Copyright 1989 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Moisture was determined in single kernels of wet and dry and rewetted blends. Determination by conductance involves the use of an instrument with a pair of piercing needles. The digital readout can be connected directly to a computer and mean percent moisture and standard deviation of the mean of single kernels computed automatically. The instrument was used to determine distribution of moisture among individual kernels or heterogeneity in blends of corn ranging widely in moisture content. The rate of equilibration of moisture in individual corn kernels was affected by their mechanical damage. The rate of moisture exchange and heterogeneity of equilibrated and freshly blended samples, as assessed by determination of moisture in individual kernels, was followed at 24-hr intervals for up to 168 hr. Blending of samples varying widely in moisture content could be established for up to seven days in some commercial corn samples.