SPLITTING AND DEHULLING LENTIL (LENS-CULINARIS) - EFFECTS OF SEED SIZE AND DIFFERENT PRETREATMENTS

A conservative estimate of 800 000 T of red-cotyledon microsperma lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) is consumed annually after postharvest processing into split dehulled seed. This process consists of cleaning the seed of foreign matter, brief immersion in water, spin-drying, standing to temper, separation into seed size fractions, dehulling/splitting and final separation. The effects of seed size (4 and 4.5 mm fractions), immersion times (1, 5, 10 and 30 min), temperature (19-degrees-C and 36-degrees-C) and duration (0, 30, 60 and 120 min) of air drying, and tempering time (0 and 24 h), on the efficiency of dehulling and splitting lentil were examined. Dehulling efficiency (%) was estimated as the sum of split dehulled seed, whole dehulled seed, and whole hulled seed (whole seeds are separated for recycling to the dehuller). Dehulling efficiency was best with the small seed fraction (4 mm), an immersion time of 1 min, no air drying, and a tempering time of 24 h. The drying air temperature did not have a significant effect on dehulling efficiency. Dehulling efficiency was highest with a low seed moisture content.