Vol. 12, Special Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
Adhi Srilatha, Veena S Jadhav, Hemalatha S, Renuka S Salunke and Biradar MS

Abstract:
A study was undertaken to assess various dehydration techniques for the drying of chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium) waste flowers. The aim of this research was to establish standardized drying processes for chrysanthemum waste flowers. The process of drying chrysanthemum waste flowers was carried out using four distinct dryings: sun drying, cabinet drying, solar drying and microwave oven drying. The effect of the different drying techniques on change in weight of chrysanthemum waste flower petals, moisture loss and time taken for drying was analyzed. The quality parameters, including appearance, color, texture, fragrance and overall acceptability, were evaluated by sensory evaluation conducted by a panel of judges using a nine-point scale. The findings suggest that microwave oven drying and solar drying exhibited the highest level of moisture loss (88.26% and 87.16% respectively) during drying period, surpassing other drying methods significantly. Among the many procedures that were examined, it was found that the solar drying technique achieved a higher score of 8.16 for colour retention, 7.63 for appearance and 7.86 for overall acceptability compared to various drying techniques. The acceptability index was found to be high for solar dried chrysanthemum waste flower petals powder (94.62%). Hence, the solar drying was determined to be superior in comparison to alternative drying techniques.