Effect of Blade Profile and Processing Parameters on Quality Seedlac

Abstract

Sticklac obtained a􀄞er scraping the lac incrustations from mature lac stick of host trees and converted into seedlac at lac processing industries for its further use in making lac-based value added products. Sticklac converted into seedlac can be stored like grain, in gunny bag or metal bin for longer period without much deterioration in the quality so that lac grower can sell seedlac whenever they get remunerative price. Different profiles of the churning blade used to increase the working surface area to the maximum possible extent and enhance the turbulence during washing operation of sticklac in presence of water for quality seedlac without major change in conventional churning mechanism of lac washing machine developed under small scale lac processing unit. Minimum and maximum impurity content and color index in the prepared seedlac with churning time 15 min and lac-water ratio 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 determined as 3.37, 3.87 and 4.76% and 7.33, 8.00 and 8.00 whereas with churning time 30 min 2.57, 2.64 and 4.00% and 6.00, 6.00 and 7.00, respectively which indicates that higher amount of water increased impurity and color index, enhanced churning time reduced impurity content and color index, while warm water reduced impurity level from 2.57 to 2.00%, 2.64 to 2.70% and 4.00 to 2.80% with churning time 30 min and lac-water ratio 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3, respectively but color index was found higher (7.00) compared to normal water (6.00). Impurity content and color index were lowest in seedlac (3.51% and 7.00) prepared using modified churning blade ‘rod parallel to the sha􀄞’ compared to other modified churning blade and conventional blade.