6.3 Experiment iii: Standardization of time for drying of dutch rose
flowers in microwave oven
Microwave oven drying is the quickest method of drying available at present. The
efforts made to standardise drying time in microwave oven for Dutch rose cultivars revealed
that drying for 2.5 minutes maintained the quality of flowers with embedding. Quality
parameters such as colour (3.48), appearance (3.51) and texture (3.29) were superior in
flowers dried for 2.5 minutes by embedding in silica gel, while unacceptable quality was
obtained in case of flowers dried without any embedding medium. With respect to mode of
desiccation, embedded drying was best for quality parameters viz., colour (2.92), appearance
(2.81) and texture (2.55); however, non-embedding methods were least acceptable for quality
parameters. The results of the present study also suggest that, flowers of cv. ‘Lambada’ dried
by embedding in silica gel would yield best quality dried flowers as it scored maximum point
for all the quality parameters studied. Also it is evidenced from the present study that, flowers
of cv. ‘Lambada’ dried for 2.5 minutes was best for quality parameters, viz., colour (2.53),
appearance (2.56) and texture (2.41).