Experimental studies on mushroom and pollen drying

In this study, drying periods of mushrooms and pollens (for Anzer honey) were investigated. The experiments of mushrooms were carried out under both laboratory and shady- and sunny-atmospheric conditions and those of pollens were conducted in the drying cupboard heated by electric heater and under sunny atmospheric conditions. The temperature of the drying cupboard was regulated at 45 degrees C during the drying experiment of pollen. The mass loss of pollens and the temperature of each shelf including pollens in the drying cupboard were measured. Drying curves of mushrooms and pollens for each experiment and the variation of the mass change ratio, the moisture ratio of pollens and the temperatures in the shelves with drying time were presented, respectively. Furthermore, their equations of drying curves and the average experimental uncertainty ratios were calculated based on the experimental results. It was concluded that mushrooms can be dried in the cupboards by using hot air at 50 degrees C in a time period of 5-6 h, and the dried must be protected in vacuum, and the pollens also must be dried at temperatures between 40 and 45 degrees C in a time period of 2.5-3 h without their losing the colour, flavour, smell and structure. The average experimental uncertainty ratio of mushrooms and pollens during the drying process were calculated to be 22 and 18%, respectively. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.