Performance evaluation of a developed rice-processing machine

Rice processing machines produced in developed countries are mostly unaffordable by rural farmers, hence there was need to develop cost effective/efficient machines produced from available local materials desirable in food industry that meets the need of the rural farmers. This study was to evaluate the performance of a developed rice dehusking/destoning machine at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Minitab 16 was used for analysis of variance of two main factors [four paddy varieties Faro 35, Faro 44, Faro 55 and Ofada and five moisture content (MC) groups] to obtain its optimum operational parameters. Cleaning efficiency, coefficient of dehulling, coefficient of wholeness, dehulling efficiency, dehulling recovery and output capacity were optimum at 94.60%, 0.63, 0.85, 50.54%, 61.22% and 18.53 kg/h respectively. The effect of MC and test paddy variety on coefficient of wholeness and dehulling efficiency were significant while only MC effect was significant at P<0.05 on cleaning efficiency. Paddy varieties had effect on rice quality, long and slender grains had more breakage than shorter grains. After further work of improvement, its coefficient of dehulling, dehulling efficiency and dehulling recovery were 0.82, 65 and 75% respectively.