Export Paprika: Moisture Control Guide
Paprika with its colour intact
How to protect export paprika from moisture, caking, mould and colour loss with 750 g SECAL desiccants.
1. The problem
Paprika is highly hygroscopic: it takes up moisture from the air readily. That causes caking, encourages mould and mycotoxins and — the costliest of all — degrades its red colour, which is its main commercial value. Moisture and light break down the capsanthin that gives the colour.
Caking
The powder clumps and loses flow and presentation.
Colour loss
Moisture and light degrade the red (capsanthin), its greatest value.
Mould and mycotoxins
At high humidity mould appears and can cause rejection at destination.
The 750 g SECAL desiccant keeps relative humidity low inside the container, protecting the colour, preventing caking and holding mould back.
2. The product
The 750 g unit is the one most used for paprika in sacks and cartons. Anhydrous calcium chloride with starch: it absorbs more than three times its weight in water — over 2.25 kg per unit — and holds it as a gel, so nothing drips or stains.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Composition | Anhydrous CaCl2 + starch |
| Absorption capacity | >300% — certificate of analysis: 307% |
| Water retained per unit | >2.25 kg |
| Format | 750 g bag, plastic-laminated back |
| Retention | Gel — does not drip |
The starch gels the absorbed water so it cannot run onto the product. Real absorption depends on humidity, temperature and voyage length.
3. Before loading
Measure — moisture below 11%
Check that the paprika is below 11% moisture. It is highly hygroscopic, so above that it releases moisture for the whole voyage. Measure the packaging (sacks, cartons) and the floor (timber at or below 18–20%), and do the light test to rule out leaks.
Protect — barrier packaging, no light
Use packaging with a good barrier — sacks with a polyethylene liner — to slow moisture down. Protect from light: exposure degrades the colour alongside moisture. Leave room for air between the cargo and the walls.
4. Placement
The SECAL 750 g unit has a plastic-laminated back, so besides hanging it you can lay it on top of the cargo like a blanket: laminated side against the product, absorbing face upwards and clear. The rule that never changes is this one — never cover the absorbing face.
Do this
- Hung from the lashing rings or the top rail
- Spread in a zigzag along the whole length
- Extra units at corners and the door area
- Or laid on top like a blanket, laminated side against the product
- Absorbing face always clear, never covered
Not this
- All piled at one end
- Crushed between the cargo
- Absorbing face covered or pressed flat
- Loading product above its target moisture
- Loading into a container with leaks
5. The dose
The dose depends on the volume, on the moisture of the product and its packaging, on the route and on the voyage length. Because paprika is highly hygroscopic and its colour is sensitive, it is not the place to cut the dose fine.
| Container | Low risk | Medium risk | High risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft | 6 units | 7–8 units | 9 units |
| 40 ft | 10 units | 13 units | 16 units |
| 40 ft HC | 12 units | 15 units | 18 units |
750 g units. Because of its high hygroscopicity, paprika usually needs a slightly higher dose than a grain. Low risk = well-dried product, short route; high = tropical or monsoon route, or a long voyage. Confirm with your SECAL adviser.
6. Frequent questions
At what moisture should paprika be loaded?
Ideally below 11%. It is highly hygroscopic, so a wetter product releases moisture inside the container and puts colour, texture and mould risk on the line.
Why is the colour lost?
The red comes from capsanthin, which breaks down with moisture and light. Bringing the humidity down with the desiccant and keeping the cargo out of the light both help preserve the colour.
Does it need a higher dose than other cargo?
Usually a little higher, because of its hygroscopicity and because the colour is so sensitive. Use the table and do not cut it fine on humid routes.
Can the desiccant sit on top of the paprika?
Yes. The 750 g SECAL unit has a plastic-laminated back, so it can rest on the sacks or cartons like a blanket, laminated side towards the product and absorbing face upwards. Never cover the absorbing face. It can also hang from the rings or the top rail.
How many desiccants does your paprika need?
We help you set the dose and the placement for your product, your packaging and your route.
This guide is a reference. Confirm product, dose and placement with your SECAL adviser according to your cargo and route. SECAL technical guides · PROTEXPO S.A.C. / SECAL, Lima, Peru.