Spices

Drying of Ginger, Turmeric and Guduchi

in solar-biomass hybrid drier
Zingiber officinale Rosc. any form of back-up heating. To reduce its were reduced from 358.96 to 8.8 (db)%
(Ginger), Curcuma longa Linn. dependence on solar radiation for operation and 257.45 to 9.67(db)% during 36 and
(Turmeric) and Tinospora cordifolia and to improve the quality of drying, a 48 hours of drying, respectively. The drying
(Willd.) Miers. ex Hook. f. & Thoms. biomass stove was incorporated with solar of these products has also been studied
(Guduchi) are the important spices and drier. It has extended the period of drying under ‘solar-only’ and open sun in the same
herbs. Ginger and turmeric are widely grown beyond sunshine hours, and perhaps during climatic conditions and the results indicate
in different regions of India and are night as well, while drying high-value that for all the products, drying is faster, and
commercially important edible spices. products. is within 33-48 hours in hybrid drier, against
Guduchi, as a drug plant, has bulk demand The scientists at Center for Rural 72-120 hours in ‘solar-only’ operation of the
in the market ranging from 300 to 500 tonnes Development and Technology, Indian same drier and 192-288 hours in open sun.
of dry woody stems annually. All these three Institute of Technology, New Delhi, evaluated Efficiency of the drier during its two mode
products required careful drying before the performance of the solar-biomass hybrid (solar and biomass separately) of operation
producing them to the market. drier against ‘solar-only’ and open sun has been estimated and quality evaluation of
Various drying techniques are conditions. Experiments have been under-studied products showed that
employed to dry different food products. conducted to test the performance of the developed drier is suitable for the drying of
Each technique has its own advantages and drier by drying of ginger, turmeric and these products. The developed drier is a
limitations. Choosing the right drying guduchi during the summer climate in simple system, which can be manufactured
techniques is thus important in the process Delhi. It was found that, during the load test locally and can be used for drying of other
of drying of these perishable products. The for ginger, 18 kg of fresh product with an agricultural products [Prasad Jaishree and Vijay
Brace type solar drier is one of the few initial moisture content of 319.74(db)% was VK, Experimental studies on drying of Zingiber
designs that have achieved some level of dried to a final moisture content of officinale, Curcuma longa and Tinospora
acceptance. One significant disadvantage of 11.8(db)% within 33 hours. Similarly, cordifolia in solar-biomass hybrid drier, Renewable
Energy, 2005, 30 (14), 2097-2109].
this drier is that it is normally not used with moisture content of turmeric and guduchi

Nitric oxide scavenging activity of certain spices in vitro

The scientists at Department of (leaf, aqueous) > Curcuma aromatica Foeniculum vulgare showed a greatest
Radiobiology, Kasturba Medical College, Salisb. (aqueous)>Murraya koenigii NO scavenging effect of 79.75% at
Manipal, Karnataka evaluated the plant (leaf, dichloromethane:methanol) > 62.5 mg/mL as compared to the positive
extracts of some commonly used spices for Mentha arvensis Linn. (chloroform) > control, Gingko biloba where 36.22%
their possible regulatory effect on nitric oxide Mentha arvensis (aqueous) > scavenging was observed at similar
(NO) levels using sodium nitroprusside as a Curcuma longa Linn. > Gingko biloba concentration. The results suggest that these
NO donor in vitro. Most of the extracts Linn. > Foeniculum vulgare spices might be potent and novel therapeutic
tested demonstrated direct scavenging of NO (dichloromethane: methanol) > Zingiber agents for scavenging of NO and the
and exhibited significant activity and the officinale Rosc. (aqueous) > Curcuma regulation of pathological conditions caused
potency of scavenging activity in the following aromatica (ethanolic) > Murraya by excessive generation of NO and its
order: Foeniculum vulgare Mill. koenigii (seed, dichloromethane: oxidation product, peroxynitrite [Baliga MS,
(aqueous) > Citrus limettioides Tanaka methanol). All the evaluated extracts Jagetia GC, Rao SK and Babu K, Evaluation of nitric
> Murraya koenigii (Linn.) Spreng. exhibited a dose-dependent NO scavenging oxide scavenging activity of certain spices in vitro: a
(seed, aqueous) > Murraya koenigii activity. The aqueous extract of preliminary study, Nahrung, 2003, 47(4),
261-264].

Vol 4(5) September-October 2005 429

Spices

Microwave drying characteristics of Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum were dried in a domestic microwave oven determination R2 of greater than 0·997
crispum Mill.) is a widely used culinary, to determine the effects of microwave and for the standard error of estimates
medicinal and aromatic plant. The fresh output power on drying time, drying rate (SEE) of lower than 0·0188. The value of
or dried leaves, roots and seeds of this and the dried product quality in terms of the drying constant increased with
plant are used in the food, cosmetics and colour. Seven different microwave output increased microwave output power. No
pharmaceutical industries to produce powers ranging from 360 to 900 W were significant differences were observed
spice, essential oils and drugs. In food used in the drying experiments. Drying between the colour parameters of fresh
preparation, the fresh parsley leaves are took place mainly in constant rate and and microwave-dried leaf materials,
used as a garnish and for seasoning. The falling rate periods. After a short heating except for some decrease in whiteness
dried leaves known as parsley flakes are period a relatively long constant rate period L value (P>0·05). The change in colour
particularly used in the instant food sector was observed. Approximately 40·5% of the values was not dependent on the
as an ingredient to flavour soups and water was removed in this period. The microwave output power. Although some
sausages. Drying is one of the oldest rapidly decreasing falling rate period darkening occurred, microwave drying
preservation techniques. Natural drying followed the constant rate period. As the maintained a good green colour close to
(drying in the shade) and hot air drying drying progressed, the loss of moisture in that of the original fresh parsley leaves.
are still most widely used methods to the product caused a decrease in the By working at 900 W instead of 360 W,
produce dried parsley flakes, because of absorption of microwave power and the drying time could be reduced by 64%
their lower cost. Natural drying has many resulted in a fall in the drying rate. with a good quality product. As an overall
disadvantages due to the inability to Increasing the microwave output power conclusion, compared to hot air drying,
handle the large quantities and to achieve resulted in a considerable decrease in microwave drying technology can greatly
consistent quality standards. drying time (probability P<0·01). The reduce the drying time and successfully
At Department of Agricultural semi-empirical Page's equation used to be used to produce good quality dried
Machinery, Faculty of Agriculture, describe the drying kinetics of dried leaf parsley flakes in terms of colour [Soysal Y,
University of Mustafa Kemal, Tayfur materials gave an excellent fit for all data Microwave Drying Characteristics of Parsley,
Sokmen Campus, Turkey, Parsley leaves points with values for the coefficient of Biosyst Eng, 2004, 89(2), 167-173].

Innovative process for the production of spices

The scientists at Hohenheim treatment was applied after processing the powders obtained were generally
University, Germany have developed an fresh plant material into a paste. characterized by improved colour, in
innovative process for the production of Microbiological assays revealed low contrast to conventional spice processing,
spices on pilot-plant scale. During counts of aerobic germs, aerobic spore early inactivation of endogenous enzymes
experiment immediately after harvest, forming bacteria, Escherichia coli, may have prevented degradation of plant
fresh chili and green pepper (fruits), coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, pigments and browning [Schweiggert Ute, Mix
ginger (rhizomes) and coriander (whole Bacillus cereus, yeasts and moulds, and Klaus, Schieber Andreas and Reinhold Carle R, An
plant) were blanched and subjected to sulfite reducing clostridia. Salmonella innovative process for the production of spices
through immediate thermal treatment of the plant
coarse and fine grinding prior to as well as aflatoxins were not detected in material, Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol,
lyophilization. Alternatively, thermal any of the products. Because the spice 2005, 6(2), 143-153].

430 Natural Product Radiance