Beron, Claire M.

February 16, 2017

10058233 February 23, 2017

EXERCISE No. 3

Moisture Content Determination

I. MATERIALS AND METHODS

A. List of Materials
1. Equipment/Instruments:
a. DOLE 300 Moisture Tester
b. MOTOMCO 919 Moisture Tester
c. Cenco Oven
d. Brown Duvel Fractional Distillation Set-Up
e. Thermometer
f. Electronic Weighing Scale
2. Dry Paddy and Corn
3. Tin Foil Cans
B. Methods
1. MOTOMCO 919 Moisture Tester
 The moisture tester was calibrated beforehand. This was done through moving
the power supply switch to ON and turning the function knob to CAL (calibrate position).
The right hand dial knob was then turned until it reaches 53 (indicated by a red arrow) and
CAL is already directly beneath the hairline. The left hand dial knob was rotated until the
needle is at its lowest position.
A 250g corn sample was weighed using an electronic weighing scale. The sample
was poured into the dump cell before inserting a thermometer to measure its grain
temperature. The temperature was recorded before freeing the grains into the test cell. The
function knob was turned to operate position (OP) and the right hand dial knob was rotated
until the needle reaches its lowest position. The meter reading was recorded and
appropriate adjustments were applied using the temperature correction factor to obtain
accurate moisture content.
The entire process was then repeated for two more trials.

2. DOLE 300 Moisture Tester

Similar to MOTOMCO 919 Moisture Tester, DOLE 300 was also calibrated before
being used. This was done through turning the main dial until the red line marked balance is
directly underneath the upper hairline. The power switch was rotated and held and the
balance knob was adjusted until the needle is at the “mechanical” zero position.
 After calibration, the sample to be tested was weighed using the tester’s grain
cup and yoke assembly. Grains were poured into the cup until the beam swings and the red
line stops at the center of the window. The temperature was then taken and noted. The
weighed grain sample was poured into the hopper as quickly as possible while avoiding
spillage. The moisture content of the sample was then measured by rotating and holding the
power switch to ON and turning the main dial knob until the pointer of the balance meter is
at the center. The proper scale on the main dial for corn was located and the percent
moisture under the hair line was recorded. The grains were removed from the tester by
pressing the dump button and the recorded moisture content was corrected using the
temperature correcting factor.
The process repeated for three times.

3. Brown Duvel Fractional Distillation Method

100 grams of the corn sample was weighed using an electronic weighing scale
and handed over to the respective laboratory technician. He was the one who conducted
the rest of the experiment process – measuring oil for distillation and mixing the oil and the
sample in a flask and heating it in the distillation set-up. He kept the group updated of when
to start the timer and when to end it. He was also the one to collect the condensed moisture
 using a graduated cylinder where the group was able to measure the moisture content of
the sample.

4. Air Oven Method

Three 25-gram samples were weighed and placed in tin foil cans which were
placed inside an oven already calibrated to 100°C. The samples were left for almost 72 hours
before returning to measure its final weight.

II. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. Air Oven Method

Air Oven Method is only one of the two types of oven drying method – the other being vacuum
oven drying. Although having been used for a long time, this procedure still has several limitations when
accurately measuring moisture content since the results may vary depending on the temperature and
time of drying (Ahn, 2014). Moisture content differs depending on how long it is placed inside the oven
or how high the temperature is set. On the other hand, even though air oven method requires longer
period of execution, it still garners more accurate results compared to the secondary methods. Primary
methods like oven drying method uses weight measurements and since these measurements are often
very exact, oven methods are usually used as reference method for specific trials (Methods for
Measuring MC).

Table 1. Air Oven Method

PALAY CORN
Average Moisture Content, % 13.03 9.13

The above table shows the average moisture content of palay and corn. Aside from palay having
a higher moisture content, the two has a percentage difference of 35.36%.

2. DOLE 300 Moisture Tester

 Using DOLE 300 Moisture Tester is an example of a secondary method for measuring moisture
content. These methods are highly favored for their capacity to produce results within seconds or
minutes and therefore widely used in postharvest management and trade. However, these methods are
less accurate than primary procedures since they measure either the electrical properties or di-electrical
properties of a certain sample (Methods for Measuring MC).

Table 2. DOLE 300 Moisture Tester

PALAY CORN
Average Moisture Content, % 12. 2 8.23

On the above table, palay once again has higher average moisture content than corn. Their
values are 38.86% different from each other.

3. MOTOMCO Moisture Meter

MOTOMCO Moisture Meter is yet another instrument under the secondary method of moisture
content measuring and therefore has advantages and disadvantages similar to that of DOLE 300
Moisture Tester.

The table below shows that palay stil has greater moisture content than corn. However, their
percent difference now lowered to only 1.86%.

Table 3. MOTOMCO Moisture Meter

PALAY CORN
Average Moisture Content, % 12.99 12.75

4. Brown-Duvel Fractional Distillation Method

The Brown-Duvel Fractional Distillation Method is classified as a primary method of measuring

moisture content. Although it took a while to prepare the experiment and acquire the results (almost
half an hour), the moisture content of palay and corn turned out to be equal to each other.
Table 4. Brown-Duvel Fractional Distillation Method

PALAY CORN
Moisture Content, % 12 12

Table 5. Summary of Results

%MCWB %MCWB
Grain Type PALAY CORN
Method
Oven 13.03 9.13
Brown-Duvel 12 12
Dole 300 12.2 8.23
Motomco 12.99 12.75

Overall, palay recorded the highest moisture content as compared to corn. This implies that
corn, relatively, has greater dry matter than palay. Since moisture content is the ratio of the mass of
water to the mass of solids in a sample (Determining the Moisture Content of Soil (Conventional Oven
Method)), it is essential to grain crops like palay and corn since these produce are the ones usually
stored. Based on the previous lectures on moisture content, greater MC makes a specimen more prone
to bacterial growth and therefore, spoilage. Hence, determining moisture content of crops is an
important factor in food quality, preservation, and resistance to deterioration (Nielsen, 2009).

III. CONCLUSION

There are generally two methods in measuring moisture content – Primary and Secondary.
Primary method involves direct evaporation of water from the sample. It is done by simply measuring
the weight loss of the sample after exposing it to various procedures like oven drying or distillation
process. This method usually gives more accurate results however are time-consuming. Secondary
method, on the other hand, involves measuring the electrical or di-electrical properties of the sample
using various machines or equipment. These methods are quicker to be implemented however are less
accurate compared to primary methods.

In conclusion, regardless of the many ways and procedures in determining moisture content, all
these are done for the very same purposes: easy and effective storage, avoidance of deterioration and
spoilage of produce, and more efficient processing of the crops.

IV. REFERENCES

Ahn, J. K. (2014). Comparison of Oven-drying Methods for Determination of Moisture Content in Feed
Ingredients. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 161501622.

Determining the Moisture Content of Soil (Conventional Oven Method). (n.d.). Retrieved February 23,
2017, from University of California, MERCED:
https://eng.ucmerced.edu/snsjho/files/MHWG/Laboratory/Soils/Protocol/Chapter_3_Moisture
_content.pdf

Methods for Measuring MC. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2017, from Rice Knowledge Bank:
https://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&v
ed=0ahUKEwitpeeA-
6TSAhWDFZQKHRQGCHsQFggdMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fptop.only.wip.la%3A443%2Fhttp%2Fwww.knowledgebank.irri.org%2Finde
x.php%3Foption%3Dcom_zoo%26view%3Ditem%26layout%3Ditem%26Itemid%3D1031&usg=A
FQ

Nielsen, S. (2009). Determination of Moisture Content. In S. Nielsen, Food Analysis Laboratory Manual
(pp. 17-27). Springer US.

V. APPENDIX

Table 1. Air Oven Method

PALAY CORN
Sample Number 1 2 3 1 2 3
Grain Initial Weight, g 25 25 25 25 25 25
Wt. of Tin Foil Can, g 10.29 8.89 8.87 7.49 8.77 8.81
Initial Wt. of Grain and 35.29 33.89 33.87 32.49 33.77 33.81
Can, g
Final Wt. of Grain and 30.38 32.21 30.69 31.46 30.95 30.81
 Can, g
Grain Final Weight, g 20.09 23.32 21.82 23.97 22.18 22.00
Wt. of Water Removed, g 4.91 1.68 3.18 1.03 2.82 3.00
Moisture Content, % (WB) 19.64 6.72 12.72 4.12 11.28 12
Average Moisture 13.03 9.13
Content, %

Table2. DOLE 300 Moisture Tester

PALAY CORN
Sample Number 1 2 3 1 2 3
Grain Temp, Deg. F 79 78 80 80 80 80
Moisture Content, % 12.2 11.40 13.0 6.8 10.6 7.3
Temp. Correction Factor +0.10 -0.10 0 0 0 0
Corrected Moisture Content, % 12.3 11.30 13.0 6.8 10.6 7.3
Average Moisture Content, % 12.2 8.23

Table 3. MOTOMCO Moisture Tester

PALAY CORN
Sample Number 1 2 3 1 2 3
Grain Temp, Deg. F 78 76 78 79 78 78
Meter Reading 17 13 17 39 38 39
Moisture Content (From Table) 13.34 12.30 13.34 12.88 12.68 12.88
Temp. Correction Factor -0.02 +0.02 -0.02 -0.09 -0.05 -0.05
Corrected Moisture Content, % 13.32 12.32 13.32 12.79 12.63 12.83
Average Moisture Content, % 12.99 12.75

Table 4. Brown-Duvel Fractional Distillation Method

 PALAY CORN
Starting Time 1:45 P.M. 1:45 P.M.
Ending Time 2:08 P.M. 2:06 P.M.
Duration of Test, min. 23 21 mins 22 sec
Moisture Content, % 12 12

Table 5. Summary of Results

%MCWB %MCWB
Grain Type PALAY CORN
Method
Oven 13.03 9.13
Brown-Duvel 12 12
Dole 300 12.2 8.23
Motomco 12.99 12.75