Grade Classification for Water Chestnuts, their Dimensional Properties and Correlation Analysis

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to devise the grade classification for whole water chestnuts and kernels and to determine their dimensional properties. The data generated during the study will help in designing post-harvest handling equipments for water chestnuts in future. The mean values of length, width and thickness for whole water chestnuts ranged between ≤ 30 - > 45mm; ≤ 23- > 35mm and ≤ 9 - >18mm from grade I (very small) to grade V (very large) respectively, whereas, the corresponding values for whole water chestnut kernels ranged between ≤ 18 - > 36 mm; ≤ 13- > 22mm and ≤ 7 - > 16 mm from grade I to grade V respectively.  For all the five devised grades, the mean values of derived dimensional properties were significantly (p<0.05) different in both whole water chestnuts as well as in kernels. Correlation analysis revealed significant (p<0.05) positive correlation among all the dimensional properties of whole water chestnuts. In case of whole water chestnut kernels, all the dimensional properties showed significant positive correlation with each other, except sphericity and aspect ratio, which showed non-significant positive and negative correlations with all the dimensional properties respectively.