Plantas medicinais e aromáticas
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Effect of Curing and Drying Methods on the Biochemical Quality of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Rhizome Grown in South Western Ethiopia

Biruk Hirko*, Solomon Abera, Haimanot Mitiku

A study was conducted to determine the effects of boiling time, rhizome form and drying methods on the biochemical quality characteristics of turmeric. The experiment consisted of four levels of boiling times; two levels of rhizome forms and two levels of drying methods laid out in a 4 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement using Completely Randomized Design. Boling of unsliced rhizomes for 15 minutes followed by tunnel drying yielded higher oleoresin, curcumin and essential oil content. Boiling for 60 minutes then slicing paired with sun drying resulted in a reduction of oleoresin, curcumin, and essential oil content. Generally, all three factors display significant role in influencing different quality attributes of turmeric rhizomes. Among the various boiling time, rhizome form and drying techniques were studied, unsliced rhizome boiled for 15 minutes followed by poly tunnel solar drying was found superior based on the biochemical analysis and concluded for future study on turmeric processing.