High moisture pumpkin seeds (after washing), Australian cultivar Gleissdorf (Cucurbita pepo L.) were dried in the laboratory dryer from the initial moisture of 52.3% to the final moisture of ca. 7.5%. Research results indicate that an increase in the airflow speed does not significantly decrease the drying time of seeds, except for the case when the drying air temperature is 40°C.
In drying several seed samples, it was established that the optimum airflow speed for seed drying was 0.8 m/s and the air temperature 60 0C because the drying process was considerably shortened, whereby sticking together of wet seeds was avoided in comparison with airflow speeds of 1.2 m/s and 1.6 m/s. Quality of thus dried seeds is not inferior to that of samples dried at 40°C.
Application of high drying air temperatures (80 0C and 100 0C) at all three airflow speeds resulted in partly burnt seeds, of dark (scorched) colour and inferior taste. The quality and keeping of such seeds is dubious. The foregoing points to the conclusion that seeds should not be dried with air over 60°C and neither at a speed higher than 0.8 m/s.

pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo L.); drying; air temperature; airflow speed

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia