Food & Commodity

Controlling moisture in cereal grain drying processes

Hydronix sensors are used to measure the moisture of the material entering and exiting the dryer. (Image source: Hydronix)

Managing the moisture content of cereal grains is crucial to maximising storage times, maintaining nutritional value and taste, and ensuring efficient use during further processing

Cereal grains are used to produce animal feeds, flours, cooking oils, fuels, alcohol products, packaging materials and much more.

The benefits of precise moisture control include:

o Safe storage of grain for longer duration
o Minimising the amount of energy required to dry the grain
o Maintaining the nutritional value and taste
o Reducing harvesting losses such as cracked kernels
o Reducing dependency on weather conditions for harvesting

Where to measure moisture

Hydronix sensors are used to measure the moisture of the material entering and exiting the dryer. For a system drying material with a reasonably consistent incoming moisture, one sensor can be used on the output of the dryer. The sensor’s output can be used as the process variable of a feedback control loop for the dryer.

For systems with more fluctuation on the incoming materials, this may be insufficient due to the time delay between materials entering and exiting the dryer. In this case, another sensor can be installed on the input to the dryer to implement feed-forward control of the dryer, with the value from the sensor on the output used for feedback error correction. This configuration allows the dryer control to respond quickly to changes in incoming moisture and adapt to unmodelled effects on dryer performance such as weather conditions.

Result after installing the sensor

An accuracy of ±0.17% was obtained from the output of a dryer processing barley. The moisture range was limited as the dryer controller was operating to maintain a target slightly lower than 12.5% to make the barley suitable for long-term storage.

Summary

Drying grain to a consistent target requires highly accurate sensors that can provide precise and repeatable measurements, resulting in a consistent product, a reduction in spoiled or wasted material and better efficiency.

Hydronix sensors, such as the Hydro-Mix XT and Hydro-Mix XT-EX offer a purpose built, robust and durable solution for grain drying and processing applications. These sensors can significantly increase profitability through waste reduction, yield maximisation and efficient use of energy.

For more information, visit: https://hubs.li/Q02s-Mhq0

Popular Indian spice brands under FDA scrutiny

The presence of high levels of ethylene oxide in India's MDH and Everest spice brands, have raised questions about their safety. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

India's popular spice makers MDH and Everest, are currently under FDA's radar after high levels of ethylene oxide were found in their spice blends

Hong Kong's recent suspension of three MDH spice blends and an Everest spice mix for fish curries along with Singapore's recall of the Everest spice mix, have raised questions about the safety of these products. Singapore has claimed the presence of high levels of ethylene oxide (ETO), a pesticide that poses a cancer risk with long exposure, thus deeming these products unfit for human consumption.

According to a report by Business Today, the Indian Spices Board has agreed to commence mandatory ETO testing of these consignments, stating that it is working with exporters of these recalled consignments to investigate the root cause and propose corrective measures.

CP Foods continues 'Partner to Grow' project

The 'PARTNER TO GROW… Sustainably Together' initiative aims to continuously support business partners, particularly SMEs. (Image source: CP Foods)

Through its 'PARTNER TO GROW… Sustainably Together' initiative, Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods), a conglomerate in the agro-industrial and food business is steadfast in fostering robust and sustainable partnerships within the supply chain

Building on the success of the first year of the project, CP Foods recognises the importance of implementing best practices to elevate operational efficiency, environmental stewardship, and adherence to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. This year, the company has extended the project's scope to encompass medium-sized enterprises and large enterprise suppliers across the entire food supply chain, thereby enhancing partners' competitiveness and generating new business opportunities, fostering mutual growth.

Furthermore, CP Foods is committed to supporting more SME suppliers through diverse activities offered under the SMEs Plus programme that aim to cultivate essential knowledge and skills among partners to ensure the delivery of high-quality products, efficient resource and energy management, waste reduction, low-carbon product development, and preparedness to adapt to global changes and trade regulations concerning climate change. Examples of these projects include Value Chain Cost Optimisation, low-cost and eco-friendly practices, Environmental Preservation, Carbon Footprint Reduction, and SME Development Programmes on Food Safety.

For more information, visit: https://www.cpfworldwide.com/