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Changes in water status and microstructure reveal the mechanisms by which tempering affects drying characteristics and quality attributes of medicinal chrysanthemums
Xu, Huihuang Wu, Min Wang, Bo Wei, Wenguang Zhang, Tong Zheng, Zhian
Xu, Huihuang
Wu, Min
Wang, Bo
Wei, Wenguang
Zhang, Tong
Zheng, Zhian
Abstract
To elucidate the mechanism behind the heterogeneity in the water distribution during the drying process of medicinal chrysanthemum (Imperial chrysanthemum), and thereby optimize the drying process, this study introduced an innovative approach by incorporating tempering into the drying process and evaluated the effects of hot air drying (HAD), infrared-assisted hot air drying (IR-HAD), and tempering-incorporated IR-HAD (TD+IR-HAD) on the water status, microstructure, and phytochemicals of dried chrysanthemums. Results showed a significant difference in the rate of dehydration between the central and marginal parts of chrysanthemums. The highest difference in moisture content value (1.34 g water/g dry matter) was observed between these two parts for samples subjected to 2.5 h of IR-HAD drying. Consequently, the sample subjected to 2.5 h of IR-HAD drying was selected for tempering. After the optimal tempering treatment (12 h), the samples were subjected to an additional 0.5 h of IR-HAD drying. This incorporated drying method (TD+IR-HAD) effectively reduced the drying time and energy consumption. Transverse relaxation curves and microstructural observations further confirmed that these reductions were related to the enhancement of water mobility and the formation of microchannels during tempering. As a result, chrysanthemums dried using TD+IR-HAD showed increased contents of chlorogenic acid, luteolin, total phenolic, total flavonoid, antioxidant capacity, and the number of volatile compounds compared to HAD and IR-HAD. Overall, these results highlight the potential of TD+IR-HAD as a promising drying technique for enhancing the value and applications of medicinal chrysanthemums in industrial settings.
Keywords
medicinal chrysanthemum, water status, microstructure, tempering, phytochemicals, volatile compounds
Date
2023
Type
Journal article
Journal
Industrial Crops and Products
Book
Volume
205
Issue
Page Range
1-19
Article Number
Article 117463
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
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Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
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Controlled