MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF COWPEA BEANS AT DIFFERENT MOISTURE CONTENTS

Cowpea production has gained considerable ground in Brazil. grain undergo different types of pressure and may crack break during processing storage, thus, there is a need to classify the mechanical properties beans. Therefore, this study aimed evaluate influence moisture content cowpea beans on maximum compressive force for fixed deformation determine proportional modulus deformity under compression. The cultivars Novaera Tumucumaque were evaluated at contents (0.12; 0.15; 0.18; 0.20; 0.23 decimal d.b.). experiment was arranged completely randomized design each 10 rates applied (0.02; 0.04; 0.06; 0.08; 0.10; 0.12; 0.14; 0.16; 0.20 mm). compression assessed using universal testing machine determined. Following, hardness elasticity ??as function established. required deform decreases with increasing content: between 2 105 N (Tumucumaque) 97 (Novaera). increased as reduced, ranging from 4.9 x 107 31.9 Pa 5.9 42