Effects of Different Drying Methods on The Quality of Dried Yellow Peach Slices

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different drying methods on the quality of dried yellow peach slices. Yellow peach slices were used as the research object, and vacuum freeze-drying (FD) and FD combined with microwave vacuum drying (MVD) and hot air drying (HAD) were used to dry yellow peach slices. The effects of different drying methods on the texture, microstructure, and nutritional composition of yellow peach slices were studied. The results indicated that compared with FD, combined drying methods could effectively shorten the drying time, the total sensory evaluation score and color difference of dried yellow peach slices obtained by vacuum freeze-drying microwave vacuum drying (FM) method were 91.60 and 18.97, respectively, which had little difference in texture characteristics and microstructure compared to the FD group. The nutrient content of FM dried yellow peach slices was significantly higher than that of the other combined drying methods (P<0.05), with the contents of total polysaccharides, total phenolics, total flavonoids, and ascorbic acid were 161.16, 15.84, 34.02, and 1.07 mg/g, respectively. Therefore, FM technology could produce high-quality dried yellow peach slices while shortening the drying time. The research results could provide reference for improving the drying and processing technology of yellow peach slices.