Physical, Mechanical and Frictional Properties of Two Fruit Morphotypes of Canarium Schweinfurthii Linn (African Elemi)

Yusuf S. G.; Kaankuka T. K.; Omale; P. A.

doi:10.56201/ijaes.vol.12.no9.2026.pg39.46

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Physical, Mechanical and Frictional Properties of Two Fruit Morphotypes of Canarium Schweinfurthii Linn (African Elemi)

Yusuf S. G., Kaankuka T. K., and, Omale, P. A.

Abstract

Canarium schweinfurthii Linn (locally called atili or African elemi) is an underutilised indigenous oil-bearing fruit widely distributed across tropical Africa, whose postharvest handling and processing remain largely manual in Nigeria for lack of documented engineering design data. This study determined and compared the physical, frictional and mechanical properties of two fruit morphotypes of C. schweinfurthii Linn (oblong and round) at moisture contents of 11.43% and 11.19% (wet basis), respectively. Fifty fruits per morphotype were used to determine axial dimensions, derived size/shape parameters, gravimetric properties and frictional behaviour on glass, mild steel and plywood surfaces, while ninety-eight fruits were subjected to uniaxial compression on a universal testing machine at longitudinal and axial orientations for hard (unsoftened) and soft (softened) textures. Data were analysed by ANOVA (P ≤ 0.05) with Duncan's multiple range test using SPSS version 20. Mean length, width and geometric mean diameter were 37.11 mm, 17.45 mm and 22.43 mm for oblong fruits and 21.05 mm, 18.62 mm and 19.27 mm for round fruits. Round fruits were markedly more spherical (91.9%) than oblong fruits (59.9%), while oblong fruits recorded higher bulk density, true density, volume, surface area and 1000-fruit mass. Angle of repose, coefficient of friction and coefficient of internal friction were consistently highest on plywood and lowest on glass, and were significantly higher for oblong than round fruits on all three surfaces (P < 0.05). Compressive force, deflection, strain and energy at peak, yield and break were consistently greater in the longitudinal than the axial orientation and in hard than in soft fruits, with the oblong morphotype generally requiring greater force and energy to fail. These findings provide baseline engineering data required for the design of cleaning, grading, conveying, storage and size-reduction equipment for C. schweinfurthii Linn fruit processing.

Keywords

Canarium schweinfurthii Linn; atili fruit; physical properties; frictional properties; mechanical properties; postharvest engineering

References

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Physical, Mechanical and Frictional Properties of Two Fruit Morphotypes of Canarium Schweinfurthii Linn (African Elemi)

Abstract

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