What is a grain moisture meter?

Moisture can be a tricky quality in grains. Too much is as likely to impact the quality of the grain and its harvest as too little.

Managing the moisture levels in grains is essential for preventing everything from physical damage to insect infestation to unfavourable weight. To combat this, food growers and producers need only a simple piece of equipment: the grain moisture meter.

Why is it important to test for moisture in food?

Moisture needs to be kept within certain ideal regions, depending upon the food in question. These regions are measured in percentages, and for grains, this generally falls below 20% moisture.

Water is the basis of life on Earth, and this remains true even down to the moisture held within seeds and grains. Too much moisture encourages the growth of microbes and fungi that deposit harmful mycotoxins into the food source they consume.

High moisture can mean time and cost sunk into drying it down to a more acceptable level of moisture, and it can even lead to unwanted germination of the grain. Don’t forget that grain is not instantly put to use following its harvest, and will often need to be stored for extended periods of time. High moisture content can make this tricky to do without ruining the crop.

Additionally, moisture adds weight, and buyers will adjust the price accordingly given that this requires drying.

Too little moisture in grain causes it to be more susceptible to mechanical damage like cracks and splits, which can in turn provide ways for insects to infest the crop. This can also make it easier for spoilage to occur, and, again, affect the weight at which your crop measures and sells.

Measuring moisture in food is essential for ensuring that its presence or absence will not lead to adverse outcomes for your produce. Moisture ultimately impacts two major factors: the health of the consumer and the profits of the producer.

What is a grain moisture meter?

A grain moisture meter measures the moisture content of a grain sample. Moisture meters measure the water content electronically, as opposed to using measurements like weight.

Moisture meters have been developed to the point of being accurate and fast whilst being small enough to fit in your pocket. Handheld grain moisture meters are highly favoured for their convenience and simplicity, allowing buyers and sellers to quickly take incremental samples whenever needed.

They can also be used in the field during growing and harvest, allowing grain farmers to keep a constant watch on their crop’s moisture content during particularly wet or dry seasons.

How does a grain moisture meter work?

Grain moisture meters constitute what is commonly known as an indirect or secondary method of testing moisture.

The meters utilise the electric conductivity of the grain, which is lent to the grain by its water content. Quite simply, higher water content means a higher flow of electricity through the grains, while less water means less conductivity.

By calculating resistance, the moisture meter can automatically arrive at a percentage of moisture present in the grain sample. This is a reliable method that can be repeated as many times as necessary, and because it’s so quick, samples can be tested thoroughly in just a minute.

The testing causes no damage to the grain and can be done without the need of extra chemicals or reagents.

How do you use a grain moisture meter?

Grain moisture meters come in several different forms. Though they’re all performing the same basic role, their operation and useful environments will differ slightly depending on the kind that you use.

Handheld moisture meters are often utilised for their handiness, being accessible and easy to use when out in the field. Some handheld moisture meters use probes that must be placed into the sample while the meter calculates its readings. Others, like the GrainSense Handheld Moisture Meter, don’t make use of such probes and operate as a single unit without peripherals. Being a modern handheld meter, it has smart connectivity and can send reports to your phone, making it convenient to use and making results easy to save and share. Moisture meters also exist in tabletop form, such as the Perten AM5200. While not as convenient and portable as a handheld meter, their bigger size is due to larger and more powerful hardware, making them highly-accurate and suitable for laboratory use.

These tabletop meters can also take larger samples and provide highly reliable results due to being operated from a level surface.

Operation of any of these meters is simple, particularly in the case of the Perten AM5200 thanks to a graphical user interface, designed to be accessible and easy to understand.

Using one of these grain moisture meters is as simple as pouring the sample into the cell and beginning the analysis process with a touch of the screen. The AM5200 gives its results in as little as ten seconds, allowing it to produce large volumes of quality control data in very little time.

How can I test the moisture levels of my grain?

If you’re lost with grain moisture meters and need more assistance, contact our team at Calibre Control.

Built on our many years of experience and excellence in food testing solutions, we can give you all the guidance and support you need to purchase reliable testing equipment that meets all your needs. For more information, contact us today.