Volume: 5, 2026
5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: T017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.T017
Published online: 22 April 2026
Evaluation of mechanical faba bean dehulling performance
Paweł Woźniak*1, 2, Tomasz Kiczek1, 2, Agata Bieńczak1 and Łukasz Ignasiak1
1 Research Group of Mechanical Engineering, Łukasiewicz Research Network – Poznań Institute of Technology, 6 Estkowski St., 61-755 Poznań, Poland
2 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Poznań University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
* Corresponding author: pawel.wozniak@pit.lukasiewicz.gov.pl
The aim of this study was to experimentally evaluate the efficiency of dehulling faba bean (Vicia faba L.) seeds under laboratory and semi‑technical conditions, with particular emphasis on the influence of key process parameters and raw material characteristics on product quality and processing losses. The research was conducted using a dehulling system equipped with a 500 kg/h huller and a 2500 kg/h aerodynamic separator. Four dehulling gap settings – 2.5, 4.0, 5.5 and 7.0 mm – were tested for three cultivars: Fernando, Albus and Diego.
The results demonstrated a clear relationship between fraction size and the proportion of seed coat and cotyledon in the final product. The highest cleaning efficiency, ranging from 92.7% to 85.5%, was achieved for the smallest fractions (2.5–4.0 mm). Increasing the dehulling gap reduced contamination levels from 32.9% to 5.4%, but simultaneously decreased cleaning efficiency from 94.6% to 67.7%. The average cotyledon yield increased with fraction size, reaching 64.6% (2.5 mm), 78.9% (4 mm), 85.3% (5.5 mm) and 93.2% (7 mm).
The study confirms that optimal adjustment of dehulling parameters is crucial for obtaining high‑quality cotyledon material while minimizing losses and impurities, which is essential for subsequent processing and enrichment of faba bean mass.
The project is co‑funded by the National Centre for Research and Development under the NUTRITECH programme, contract no. NUTRITECH1/003A/2022.
Keywords: cotyledon yield; faba bean dehulling; fraction size optimization; processing efficiency; seed coat removal
How to cite
Woźniak P., Kiczek T., Bieńczak A., Ignasiak Ł., 2026. Evaluation of mechanical faba bean dehulling performance. In: 5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.T017