High Moisture Storage Effects on Cotton Stickiness

Abstract

Studies are conducted to examine the feasibility of using high cotton moisture content during storage to reduce cotton stickiness. Initially, water alone is added to bring the moisture content up to 15, 30, and 40%. The cottons are stored for 5, 11, and 15 days at 10°C. Reflectance and strength decreased and yellowness increases over time with the 30% and 40% moisture content cottons. But cottons with a moisture content of 15% are not only less sticky, but also suffer no significant deterioration of cotton quality. Possibly these conditions can be used in a stickiness reduction treatment pro gram. A second set of cottons is brought up to 30% moisture content using water augmented with urea or ammonia in an attempt to minimize microbial effects, then these cottons are stored for 15 days at room temperature. The urea and ammonia treat ments do not appear to offset the quality deterioration of the cottons by the 30% high moisture content, although both sugar content and stickiness are reduced. Heavy pro cessing of sticky cottons tends to increase the number of sticky spots, but these spots are much smaller than those present in the unprocessed stock.