Drying Methods Affect the Quality and Hygroscopic Capacity of Carrot Chips

The quality changes and hygroscopic capacity of carrot chips dried by different drying process (hot-air drying,vacuum microwave drying,freeze drying and combined freeze-vacuum microwave drying) were investigated in this manuscript.The quality parameters such as VC and carotene contents,color,expansion ratio and drying time from different drying process were compared.it was found that freeze drying exhibit advantages on VC and carotene contents,but its expansion ratio much better than that of freeze drying,reduced drying time and hygroscopic capacity was less than those treated by freeze drying.Compared with that of freeze drying alone,the combined freeze-vacuum microwave significantly reduced drying time and hygroscopic capacity.