A Comparison of the Effects of Low-Temperature Vacuum Drying and Other Methods on Cauliflower’s Nutritional–Functional Properties

Abstract

Employing low-temperature drying methods instead of high-temperature methods can help to deal with the challenge of preserving the nutritional and functional qualities of cruciferous vegetables. In the current study, the effects of low-temperature vacuum drying (LTVD), vacuum drying (VD), convective drying (CD), infrared drying (IRD) and vacuum freeze drying (VFD) on the nutrient composition, color, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of cauliflower were determined. All drying methods significantly affected the color and proximate composition. LTVD stood out against CD and IRD because the samples retained a better total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant properties. VFD was the most suitable for preserving the total flavonoid content (TFC) and antiproliferative properties. Meanwhile, VD offered superior retention of the γ-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, TPC and antioxidant properties of the samples. In general, LTVD did not stand out compared to its VFD and VD counterparts, with VD providing the best nutritional–functional properties in cauliflower.