Chari Venkatkrishna Kandala^*, Ramesh Avula, Vijayasaradhi Settaluri, Ronda Srinivasa Reddy, Naveen Puppala

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United States Department of Agriculture, Dawson, USA.
R&D, Cherry Central, Traverse City, USA.
Department of Biotechnology, K.L. University, Vaddeswaram, India.
New Mexico State University, Clovis, USA..
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Abstract: Impedance (Z), and phase angle (θ) of a parallel-plate capacitor with a single cherry fruit between the plates were measured using a CI meter (Chari’s Impedance meter), at 1 and 9 MHz. Capacitance C was derived from Z and θ, and by using the C, θ, and Z values of a set of cherries whose moisture content (MC) values were later determined by the hot air-oven method, a calibration equation was developed. Using this equation, and their measured C, θ, and Z values, the MC of a group of cherries, not used in the calibration, was predicted. The predicted values were compared with their vacuum-oven values. The method worked well with an R2 value of 0.98 and a standard error of prediction (SEP) of 1.24, in the measured moisture range between 5% and 20%.

Keywords: Cherries; Moisture Content; Capacitance; Impedance; Phase Angle; Regression; CI Meter

Cite this paper: C. Kandala, R. Avula, V. Settaluri, R. Reddy and N. Puppala, "Sensing the Moisture Content of Dry Cherries—A Rapid and Nondestructive Method," Food and Nutrition Sciences, Vol. 4 No. 9, 2013, pp. 38-42. doi: 10.4236/fns.2013.49A2006.

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