Abstract
The water absorption kinetics of cowpea and soybean hybrids were studied following the phenomenological models derived from Fick’s diffusion law. Significant intra and inter varietal variations were observed on the physical characteristics of the seeds. The proposed Fick’s law of diffusion was shown to significantly describe the kinetic of water absorption irrespective of the variety and temperature. The effective diffusivities of the hybrids were shown to vary in the order Nagbaar > Nhyira > Tonaa > Anidaso and increased as the soaking temperature increased from 30d°C to 60d°C. The estimated values for water diffusion coefficients varied from 2.90 × 10-10 to 6.75 × 10-10 m2/s for cowpea and soybean hybrids. An Arrhenius-type equation described the strong temperature effect on the diffusion coefficient with activation energies ranging from 7.73 to 8.56 kJ/mol for cowpeas and 5.51 to 8.14 kJ/mol for soybeans.
Highlights
Legumes are important plant foods that are widely produced and consumed in many parts of Africa due to high amounts of protein and soluble fibre they contain
While no significant difference was observed in the (SA) of the soybean hybrids, Tona was observed to be higher than Nhyira in the case of cowpea hybrids
Physical and colour characteristics of cowpea and soybean seeds revealed a difference between the two legumes species, but not much differences existed amongst individual hybrids, which could probably influence their differences to absorb water
Summary
Legumes are important plant foods that are widely produced and consumed in many parts of Africa due to high amounts of protein and soluble fibre they contain. Soaking of legume seeds prior to further processing is a common practice in the West African region. It induces moisture absorption by seeds, as influenced by soaking time and temperature of the soaking medium, affecting the moisture content of the seeds. Temperature, variety, kernel size, and time of exposure affect the rate at which moisture enters into kernels. Among these factors, temperature and variety have been shown to have the greatest effect. An increase in temperature results in an increase in the rate of moisture absorption [9] Control of this process may be improved with better knowledge of the distribution and movement of moisture within the kernel
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
