The invention relates to the technical field of
fruits and vegetables, in particular to a
drying and
processing method for improving the
retention rate of
carotenoid in pumpkins. Namely, the pumpkins are selected, cleaned and peeled, pulp and seeds are removed, the pumpkins are
cut into slices of 4-6 mm, and then
coating treatment is performed in a
potato starch solution with the
mass concentration of 2%-3% or a corn
phosphate double-
starch solution with the
mass concentration of 0.5%-1.5% at the temperature of 80-85 DEG C for 5-15 minutes;
drying treatment is performed in a vacuum
microwave drying device after
air drying, the
microwave power is controlled to be 4-5 W / g, the vacuum degree is controlled to be 80-90 KPa, and the
drying time is controlled to be 3-5 minutes; then
freeze drying is performed, drying stops when the
water content of the pumpkin slices is 3%-5%, and
nitrogen filled packaging is conducted on products. The drying and
processing method improves the
retention rate of the carotenoids in the pumpkins to the most degree, the beta-
carotene retention rate is 93% or above, the alpha-
carotene retention rate is 94% or above, the
lutein retention rate is 71% or above, and the
provitamin A and color and luster of the products are kept well. In addition, by the adoption of the method, the
drying time is saved, and the
energy consumption of production is reduced.