Effects of Steam Treatment Time and Drying Temperature on Properties of Sweet Basil’s Antioxidants, Aroma Compounds, Color, and Tissue Structure

Abstract

This study has developed a production method for high-quality Genova tea with excellent antioxidant properties. The antioxidant properties of each part of the Genova basil plant (i.e., leaves, flowers, and stems) were determined; the leaves and flowers showed higher antioxidant values. We also investigated the effects of steaming time and drying temperature on the antioxidant composition and properties, color, and aroma using leaves with good yield potential and high antioxidant properties. The color showed excellent green color retention with freeze- and machine-drying at 40 °C without steam-heat treatment. Steaming for 2 min was effective in maintaining high values of total polyphenol content, antioxidant properties (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine and hydrophilic oxygen radical adsorption capacity), rosmarinic acid, and chicoric acid, and a drying temperature of ≤40 °C was recommended. Freeze-drying without steaming was the best method to retain all three of Genova’s main aroma components, Linalool, trans-alpha-bergamotene, and 2-methoxy-3-(2-propenyl)-phenol. The method developed in this study can improve the quality of dried Genova products and be applied in the food industry, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.

Boiling vs. Microwave Heating—The Impact on Physicochemical Characteristics of Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) at Different Ripening Stages

“…Cooking plant raw materials in water causes dynamic heat penetration into the tissues. This results in the degradation of tissue and cellular structures, which involves the process of releasing certain types of substances, such as sugars, which move into hot water due to their high solubility [41].…”