Analysis reveals hot air drying at 40 °C preserves amino acids and antioxidant activity in Castanopsis piriformis, indicating optimal processing method.
Castanopsis piriformis, commonly referred to as the native chestnut of Thailand, has traditionally been dried for off-season storage. We investigated the impact of different drying conditions, namely hot air drying (HD) at 40 °C, 60 °C, 80 °C, and traditional sun drying (SD), on the physical and chemical properties of the nut. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that HD better preserved the cellular structure compared to SD. Among the hot air treatments, drying at 40 °C most effectively retained amino acids, with essential and non-essential amino acid of 619.6 and 927.0 μg/g dry basis, respectively. The levels of organic acids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity were influenced by drying temperature. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed alterations in chemical composition associated with different drying conditions. Protein molecular weight analysis indicated structural changes and protein degradation at higher temperatures. HD at 40 °C is optimal for preserving both the chemical compounds and structural integrity of C. piriformis.
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Chumroenphat et al. (2025) studied this question.
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