Abstract
In this study, the effects of hot-air drying (HAD), hot-air combined microwave vacuum drying (HAD-MVD), vacuum freeze drying (VFD), and natural drying (ND) on the color, textural properties, microstructure, non-volatile substances, and volatile flavor compounds of the Morchella sextelata (M. sextelata) mushroom were investigated. The results showed that VFD best maintains the color, texture, and flavor of M. sextelata, while HAD-MVD yields dehydrated M. sextelata having a color and dense cellular microstructure similar to that achieved with VFD but in less time. In addition, the equivalent umami concentration (1293.20 g MSG/100 g) and total aroma compound content (2,533,403 μg/kg) for HAD-MVD were significantly higher than that for VFD, and the content of non-volatile substances such as soluble sugars, 5'-nucleotides, and total free amino acids were also high. Therefore, HAD-MVD represents an economic and more environmentally benign solution for the commercial processing of M. sextelata.