Hydration of kenaf seed was studied at 25, 35 45, 55 and 65 °C by the method of weight gain until equilibrium was achieved along with the physicochemical properties of the seed. The results showed that the kenaf seed had a small dimension and brownish surface color. Water absorbed during soaking was a function of soaking time and temperature. Soaking at higher temperatures increased the hydration rate constant and decreased the soaking time needed to reach equilibrium. Sigmoidal, Peleg and Page

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... models effectively described the hydration characteristics of the seed under the soaking temperatures. The half-saturation time; τ, Peleg' s rate constant; K1 and Page rate constant K3 decreased from 199.78-32.97 min, 2.55-0.47 min/% and 3.14-2.74 min/%, respectively, while the sigmoidal rate constant; K increased from 0.85-6.83 min-1 with an increase in soaking temperature from 25-65 °C. The rate of water absorption of the seed at a higher temperature was faster. The temperature dependence of K was explained by the Arrhenius equation, from which activation energy of 71.31 KJ/mol was obtained.