Online Tool Guides Peanut Drying

When peanuts are harvested, the moisture content is too high for safe storage, so they must be cured until the moisture content is below 10 percent. Curing normally occurs at a centralized facility which holds between 2-thousand and 10-thousand tons of in-shell peanuts with a value of up to 4-million dollars. Under ideal storage conditions, the peanut value will decrease 2-3 percent, but under poor storage conditions, losses can be as high as 10 percent. Good storage practices include adequate ventilation of the space above the peanuts to remove moisture-laden air and prevent condensation.

A new calculator that helps peanut handlers and processors determine the right amount of ventilation for their storage warehouses is available on the Agricultural Research Service website. The calculator gives the recommended airflow rate based on changing the volume of air in the space above the peanuts once every 2 or 3 minutes. The calculator also provides the proper amount of inlet area. By selecting the peanut market type that will be stored in the warehouse, the tool adjusts its calculations to account for the differences among the types of peanuts.

The warehouse ventilation calculator can be accessed at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7338