Evaluation of air oven moisture content determination methods for rough rice

The effects of air oven drying temperature and drying duration on moisture content determination of medium grain rough rice were studied for moisture content levels from 10(.)2 to 32(.)5% (w.b.). Six different methods were compared in this study. A moisture content determination model for an air oven was developed to describe the effect of drying temperature, drying time, and sample grinding on moisture content determination. Drying whole kernels for 72 h at 105degreesC had the smallest standard deviation. Regression equations obtained from the measured data were used to validate the model developed in this study. This model could be employed to evaluate the moisture determination methods for other varieties of rough rice and other crops obtained from previous literature. (C) 2003 Silsoe Research Institute. All rights reserved. Published by Elsevier Ltd.