Shape and size of mung beans during drying

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of drying on the shape and size of mung beans (Vigna radiata L.), which are well-regarded for their nutritional, medicinal, and agronomic benefits. Understanding their physical properties at varying moisture levels is crucial for improving agricultural practices from planting through post-harvest. Initially harvested at about 27% moisture content (wet basis, wb), the beans were air-dried naturally to approximately 9% moisture content (wb). The analysis involved measuring the orthogonal axes, length, width, and thickness of 30 representative beans. Parameters such as circularity, sphericity, volume, surface area, projected area, surface-to-volume ratio, and geometric diameter were calculated based on these measurements. Findings indicate that drying reduces the size of mung beans but maintains their circular and spherical shape. The length and width diminish more than the thickness. As drying progresses, the surface-to-volume ratio increases, while the projected area, surface area, and geometric diameter decrease.