Effects of microwave drying on physicochemical characteristics, microstructure, and antioxidant properties of propolis extract

The heat sensitivity of phenolics and flavonoids leads to considerable losses of these compounds during conventional drying. Microwave drying has the advantage of shorter drying time and rigorous process control, minimizing damage to heat-sensitive compounds. Microwave drying kinetics and the impacts of microwave drying on physicochemical characteristics, morphological structure, antioxidant properties, total phenolics, and flavonoid content of propolis extract were investigated.Increasing the microwave power output from 180 to 900 W resulted in a 67% reduction in drying time. Morphological changes were more noticeable at higher microwave power levels as shown in scanning electron microscopy images. Water activity values of microwave dried propolis extracts were below 0.4, which satisfied the requirement for shelf-stable dry products. The solubility of microwave dried propolis extract increased with increasing microwave power level, and the highest solubility was achieved for the propolis extract microwave dried at 900 W. Microwave dried propolis extracts exhibited lower total phenolic content levels than fresh propolis extract. The microwave power level did not affect the total flavonoid content but it affected 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging activity of microwave dried propolis extracts. The DPPH free-radical scavenging activity closest to the fresh propolis extract was obtained for the microwave dried propolis extract at 900 W. This also showed the highest 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox) equivalent antioxidant capacity.Microwave drying of propolis extract at 900 W was found to be the most efficient drying condition because it yielded the shortest drying time, the highest effective moisture diffusivity, and phenolic and flavonoid content levels that were very similar to those in fresh propolis extract. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.