Abstract
Drying is one the oldest method used in preservation of foods. Preservation is achieved by removal of moisture through conduction, convection and/or radiation to obtain a product with better quality and extended shelf life. For this purpose, microwave drying is considered to be one of the fastest methods of moisture removal from the product. This work has focused on the effect of microwave drying of herbs and also the retention and degradation of essential nutrients. The comparison between the herbs is done in terms of determination of antioxidant activity. The better drying conditions for Phyllanthus niruri and Boerhaavia diffusa was at 0.2 kW with superior quality of the end product whereas Annona muricata was at 0.6 kW. On investigating the antioxidant activity, the samples of Phyllanthus niruri and Boerhaavia diffusa dried at 0.2 kW exhibited highest antioxidant activity. The sample Annona muricata dried at 0.4 kW exhibited highest antioxidant activity. To be applied in large scale applications, the process needs further research and improvements to achieve a product with better sensorial and nutritional attributes.
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