Characterizing moist food-powder flowability using a Jenike shear-tester

► Low water-saturations favorably affect flow characteristics of crop seeds and food-powders by stress oscillations removing. ► At high moisture contents a lubricating effect can develop and local bulk density can change. ► Jenike shear-tester may be an inappropriate tool for shearing powders at high moisture contents. ► The NMR analysis showed that chemical composition of water moisturizing the seeds was changing. ► The changes may also affect the food-powder flow characteristics.