The pelleting of pea is related to some of the mechanical features of the seeds. Varying in
moisture, intact seeds were assigned to unconfined loadingeunloading with the help of a
universal testing machine. Elastic and permanent strain energy and associated deformations
were evaluated on the basis of loadedisplacement curves. In parallel, samples
of pea at the same moisture levels were pelleted. The pelleting energy usage and pellet
quality features, that is strength, durability, and bulk density, were tested for correlations
with strain hysteresis data. Seed moisture and energy loss during the loading of a single
seed showed a strong relevance to the processing and pellet properties. An observed increase
in the proportion of non-recoverable strain energy, from 15.5 to 176.1 mJ, resulted in
a significant decrease in all analysed pelleting features. The specific energy consumption
decreased from 296.5 to 240.1 kJ kg1. Bulk density and pellet strength SI decreased from
773.6 to 652.7 kg m3 and 16.61 to 13.60 kN m1, respectively. An empirical model was
introduced for the estimation of pelleting effects as a function of seed plasticity. It was
based on a hyperbolic formula, which proved to be accurate for the prediction of energy
requirements for pelleting and the properties of pellets.