Effect of blanching and drying treatments on quality of bamboo shoot slices

Summary The enzymes activity, texture, pectin, microstructure and colour change in bamboo shoots ( D endrocalamus latiflorus ) were examined to evaluate the effect of blanching and drying treatments on quality of bamboo shoot slices ( BSS ). Peroxidase ( POD ), phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase and polyphenol oxidase in BSS will become completely inactive at 95 °C for 6‐, 9‐ and 12‐min blanching treatments, respectively. The hardness and protopectin ( PP ) content decreased after the blanching treatment. Meanwhile, the content of water‐soluble pectin increased initially and then decreased gradually during the blanching. After the blanching treatment, the L * and a * of BSS decreased, while b * increased, Δ E   > 2. The hardness of rehydrated BSS decreased by 43.57% after freeze drying ( FD ), which, however, decreased more after hot air drying ( HAD ). The pectin of rehydrated BSS was also determined to explain the hardness change in BSS . The BSS acquired similar microstructure of fresh samples after FD , while microstructure of BSS was severely damaged after HAD . The colour of BSS changes significantly after drying treatment. However, FD can maintain better colour of BSS than HAD . The results may provide a reference for industrial production of BSS .