Jerusalem artichokes were dried using three methods: hot air drying, freeze drying, and microwave drying, and their quality characteristics, antioxidant activity, and acrylamide content were analyzed. While the maximum moisture was removed by freeze-drying, there was no significant difference in the ash, crude fat, and crude protein content based on the drying method. The control group had the lowest soluble solids and the freeze-dried sample had the highest followed by samples dried in the oven and microwave. The control group had the highest pH of 6.97, the oven-dried sample had the lowest pH of 6.13, and the microwave and freeze-dried samples had a pH of 6.39 and 6.46, respectively. The freeze-dried Jerusalem artichokes had the highest brightness, and the redness, yellowness, and browning indices showed the lowest values. The oven-dried samples had the lowest brightness, and the redness, yellowness, and browning indices were the highest. The total polyphenol and flavonoid content was significantly higher in the freeze-dried sample, and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging ability and reducing power were also higher in the freeze-dried sample compared to oven or microwave drying. An analysis of the acrylamide content formed during the drying of the sample revealed that while it was not detected in freeze-dried samples, but 1,061.18 ng/g and 404.92 ng/g were detected in the oven-dried and microwave-dried samples, respectively. Based on the above results, it is believed that freeze-drying maximizes the antioxidant ingredients and antioxidant activity and suppresses acrylamide production compared to oven or microwave drying.

Keywords: Jerusalem artichoke, oven, microwave, freeze drying, acrylamide