Comprehensive quality evaluation of Rosa roxburghii pomace prepared by thermal drying methods using an integrated quantitative scoring method

This study was to systematically investigate the effects of HAD, HPD, MD, and VMD on the sensory quality, nutritional quality, structure, and processing characteristics of RRP by using sensory evaluation, chemical analysis, spectroscopic, microscopic techniques and rheology combined with quantitative scoring method. The CQI indicated that VMD had the best overall performance in retaining vitamin C, total sugar, starch, protein, and total dietary fiber, had the highest thermal stability, had a more compact and continuous pomace structure, and exhibited the best fluidity and processing adaptability. Besides, the differentiated advantages of different drying methods in specific indicators were revealed by the clustering heatmap. HPD had a better retention effect on total phenols and the most significant reduction effect on sour/astringent tastes. HAD had the best retention of volatile flavor substances and the capacity of converting proteins into free amino acids. MD had the optimal browning inhibition effect.