Note on the hygroscopic equilibrium of cottonseed and cottonseed products

Summary and Conclusions

The hygroscopic equilibrium of a sample of the Stoneville 2B variety of cottonseed and its derived products has been determined over the relative humidity range of 11 to 93%. In a previous publication (1) the hygroscopic equilibrium of a sample of the D and PL variety of cottonseed was determined over the range of 31 to 93% relative humidity: Comparison of the previous and present results show that the whole seed and kernels of both varieties exhibit the same hygroscopic equilibrium behavior. A comparison of the aforementioned results with those reported by Simpson (3) on Stoneville 2B variety, and by Franco (4) on the 1A 7387 variety grown in São Paulo, Brazil, show that for intact cottonseed the hygroscopic equilibrium behavior is the same.

On the basis of the curves given in Figure 1 and on the assumption that the cottonseed used was representative of cottonseed in general, it is possible to calculate the equilibrium moisture content of the whole cottonseed or any component thereof. For example, cottonseed consisting of 12.1% linters, 87.9% delintered seed, 56.0% kernels, and 31.9% lint-free hulls, and containing 12% moisture on a whole seed basis, will yield linters, delintered seed, kernels, and lint-free hulls having 9.4, 12.7, 10.8, and 15.4% moisture, respectively.