Effect of Embedding Media on the Quality of Tinted Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum) cv. Pusa Shwet Flowers Dried in Hot Air Oven

Abstract

To enhance the aesthetic beauty of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum) cv. Pusa Shwet, tinting is successful approach to achieve desired colors at post harvest stage. Artificial colouring to white flowers fetches more prices as compared to white florets. To preserve tinted chrysanthemum flowers for long time, drying medias with different combinations were used in the experiment entitled, “Effect of embedding media on the quality of tinted chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum) cv. Pusa Shwet flowers” in hot air oven. To determine the best colour and embedding media in hot air oven, six different combinations were used for drying tinted chrysanthemum flowers i.e., sand, borax, silica gel, sand + borax (1:1v/v), sand + silica gel (1:1v/v), borax + silica gel (1:1v/v). The data was recorded on different parameters like percentage moisture loss, sensory parameters and percent reducing sugar were subjected to analysis with Factorial CRD. The findings of experiment concluded that sand is the most suitable media for drying tinted chrysanthemum flowers in hot air oven. Among used edible food dye colours, yellow colour showed more uniform colour on florets of chrysanthemum when dried in hot air oven.