Polysaccharides from Seedless Chestnut Rose (Rosa sterilis) Fruits: Insights into Innovative Drying Technologies and Their Structural Characteristics, Antioxidant, Antiglycation, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities

The selection of an optimal drying method is essential for extending the shelf life and enhancing the quality of Rosa sterilis fruits. This study investigated the effects of both innovative (microwave vacuum drying and infrared drying) and traditional (freeze-drying and hot air drying) techniques on the structural characteristics and bioactivities of polysaccharides from R. sterilis fruits (RSPs). Four different RSPs were obtained from fruits dried using these methods. Results demonstrated that the structural characteristics and bioactivities of RSPs varied significantly with the drying method. Notable differences were observed in extraction yield, total sugar, uronic acid content, monosaccharide molar ratios, molecular weight distribution, particle size, thermal stability, and microstructures of RSPs. Despite these variations, the types of constituent monosaccharides and major glycosidic linkages remained consistent across all methods. Notably, RSPs obtained via microwave vacuum drying (RSPs-MVD) showed a higher uronic acid content and lower molecular weight, and exhibited stronger in vitro antioxidant, alpha-glucosidase inhibitory, and antiglycation activities. These findings suggest that microwave vacuum drying is an effective pre-drying technique for extracting RSPs, making them suitable as bioactive ingredients in functional foods and pharmaceuticals for managing diabetes mellitus and its complications.