Caracterización del secado del maíz duro amarillo en el Cantón Quevedo

Abstract

Corn drying reduces the moisture content to levels that guarantee the conservation of the quality characteristics demanded by the food industry. The different piladoras located in the canton of Quevedo, in the Province of Los Ríos, use stationary systems for corn drying due to the advantages in terms of operation and functioning. This research aims to analyze the influence of the moisture content of corn on the drying process. For this study, the corn production corresponding to the second harvest period was considered. The results allowed determine that with an average corn moisture content of 31.55%, an estimated drying time of 4 hours and 15 minutes to reach levels of 13% wet basis; however, after this time, the moisture concentration of the grain remains above this value, which implies that the production lot must remain exposed to high temperatures for a more extended period, which affects the final quality of the grain and the efficiency of the process. Environmental conditions also influence the process since corn is produced and harvested in two periods per year, which means that production takes place when the grain has reached physiological maturity. Keywords: Quality; Impurities; Moisture content; Drying Process