Studies on drying of multi-bivoltine cocoons (I)

Studies on the effect of hot air drying temperature profiles on degree of drying of Indian multi-bivoltine cocoons

Abstract

  Hot air drying of multi-bivotline cocoons evaporates the moisture in the pupa depending up on the temperature profiles used for the drying. Both the temperature profiles and the duration of drying were found to have significant effect on the degree of drying of hot air dried of cocoons. The studies further indicated that higher the initial temperature used for drying, less degree of drying and maximum weight loss occurs during the initial two hours of drying, later it stabilizes as the moisture present in the pupa decreases. Compared to bivotline cocoons, the degree of drying of multi-bivoltine cocoons is further reduced which may be attributed to the porous structure of the Indian cocoons.