Disclosed herein is a method for preserving a plant material. The method comprises applying a composition comprising a microwave attractant to the plant material; and then drying the plant material while exposing the plant material to microwave energy, wherein the microwave energy heats the plant material to a temperature effective to inactivate the majority of any browning enzymes in the plant material, and wherein the microwave attractant results in the heating of the plant material occurring at a rate whereby browning of the plant material by the browning enzymes during heating is substantially prevented. Also disclosed are uses of the preserved plant material.

Disclosed herein is a method for preserving a plant material. The method comprises applying a composition comprising a microwave attractant to the plant material; and then drying the plant material while exposing the plant material to microwave energy, wherein the microwave energy heats the plant material to a temperature effective to inactivate the majority of any browning enzymes in the plant material, and wherein the microwave attractant results in the heating of the plant material occurring at a rate whereby browning of the plant material by the browning enzymes during heating is substantially prevented. Also disclosed are uses of the preserved plant material.

A method for producing a fruit or vegetable product, wherein the method consists essentially of (a) infusing a whole or sliced fruit or vegetable with an infusible molecule to between 10 and 55° Brix; (b) pre-drying the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable at a temperature between 80° C. and 120° C. to produce a pre-dried fruit or vegetable; (c) exposing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable to freezing temperatures and to vacuum to a temperature between −1° C. and −40° C. and a pressure between 7.5 mmHg and 0.53 mmHg, thereby partially subliming the fruit or vegetable; (d) puffing the fruit or vegetable under vacuum between 0.1 mmHg and 600 mmHg at a temperature between 40° C. and 110° C.; (e) cooling the fruit or vegetable under vacuum to a temperature between 0° C. and 40° C., to thereby produce the fruit or vegetable product.

A method for producing a fruit or vegetable product, wherein the method consists essentially of (a) infusing a whole or sliced fruit or vegetable with an infusible molecule to between 10 and 55° Brix; (b) pre-drying the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable at a temperature between 80° C. and 120° C. to produce a pre-dried fruit or vegetable; (c) exposing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable to freezing temperatures and to vacuum to a temperature between −1° C. and −40° C. and a pressure between 7.5 mmHg and 0.53 mmHg, thereby partially subliming the fruit or vegetable; (d) puffing the fruit or vegetable under vacuum between 0.1 mmHg and 600 mmHg at a temperature between 40° C. and 110° C.; (e) cooling the fruit or vegetable under vacuum to a temperature between 0° C. and 40° C., to thereby produce the fruit or vegetable product.

The dried products of the present invention provide snacks (so-called crispy smoothies) having a particularly high proportion of fruit, which, owing to their production at low temperatures with extensive exclusion of oxygen, are distinguished by a high level of preservation of oxidation- and temperature-sensitive, but valuable, fruit constituents and which have an intense flavor and also a homogeneous appearance which is attractive in terms of color.

The dried products of the present invention provide snacks (so-called crispy smoothies) having a particularly high proportion of fruit, which, owing to their production at low temperatures with extensive exclusion of oxygen, are distinguished by a high level of preservation of oxidation- and temperature-sensitive, but valuable, fruit constituents and which have an intense flavor and also a homogeneous appearance which is attractive in terms of color.

Dehydration and drying are some of the oldest methods of preserving food and other biological materials such as proteins and both live and dead live microorganisms or their metabolites. The invention disclosed herein seeks a method of further improving the process of preserving biological material by combining the freezing or freeze-drying process with a partial infrared dehydration step. By using infrared radiation energy to perform simultaneous blanching and dehydration, the drying speed is greatly increased and better cellular and molecular integrity is maintained. The invention herein is also particularly useful in connection with cannabis and hemp.

Process for the production legume meal having a moisture content between 2% and 15%. The process includes feeding a continuous flow of legume meal into a wet heat treatment reactor together with a continuous flow of water or aqueous solution, which is dispersed into minute droplets; discharge the wet legume meal and feeding it into a thermal dehydration and treatment reactor.

Disclosed is a natural compound sweetener, comprising mogroside V, rebaudioside A, natural tea theanine and dietary fibre. The method for preparing the sweetener comprises the steps of: (1) dissolution, filtration, concentration and sterilization: dissolving the mogroside V, rebaudioside A, natural tea theanine and dietary fibre in water, filtering, concentrating in a vacuum, and sterilizing to obtain a sterilized solution; and (2) paste-collection, drying and granulation: carrying out paste-collection on the sterilized solution obtained in the step (1), vacuum drying the collected liquid paste, and drying and then granulating the dry powder to obtain the sweetener.

Disclosed is a natural compound sweetener, comprising mogroside V, rebaudioside A, natural tea theanine and dietary fibre. The method for preparing the sweetener comprises the steps of: (1) dissolution, filtration, concentration and sterilization: dissolving the mogroside V, rebaudioside A, natural tea theanine and dietary fibre in water, filtering, concentrating in a vacuum, and sterilizing to obtain a sterilized solution; and (2) paste-collection, drying and granulation: carrying out paste-collection on the sterilized solution obtained in the step (1), vacuum drying the collected liquid paste, and drying and then granulating the dry powder to obtain the sweetener.