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10.3390/foods14152586
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Physical Aspects, Phytochemical Profiles, and Nutritional Properties of Lemon (Citrus limon) Slices Under Different Drying Technologies

by
Zhirong Wang
1,*,
Qingqing Fu
1,
Guijie Hao
2,
Yuanwei Gu
1,
Tianqi Sun
1,
Lu Gao
1,
Bo Wang
1,
Shuai Wang
3,4,
Xiangfeng Zheng
1,
Zhenquan Yang
1,4 and
Shengqi Rao
1,4,*
1
School of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
2
Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Huzhou Key Laboratory of Aquatic Product Quality Improvement and Processing Technology, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou 313001, China
3
Yangzhou Institute for Food and Drug Control, Yangzhou 225106, China
4
Key Laboratory of Catering Food Processing and Safety Control, China General Chamber of Commerce, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Foods 2025, 14(15), 2586; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152586
Submission received: 21 June 2025 / Revised: 19 July 2025 / Accepted: 22 July 2025 / Published: 23 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Dried lemon slices (LSs) have become increasingly popular as a healthful beverage when infused in hot water. This study examined the effects of freeze drying (FD), hot air drying (HAD), heat pump drying (HPD), and far-infrared drying (FID) on the quality of dried LSs and their brewed beverages. The results show that FD-LSs and their corresponding beverages have the most appealing appearance and maximum levels of ascorbic acid (2.47 and 0.80 mg/g, respectively), synephrine (8.15 and 0.94 mg/g, respectively), and the overwhelming majority of natural and available phenolic compounds, as well as the strongest antioxidant activity, although numerous volatile compounds in FD-LSs were in the lowest abundances. HPD-LSs exhibited similar trends to FD-LSs but contained the peak concentrations of limonene (2258.87 μg/g), γ-terpinene (704.19 μg/g), β-pinene (502.92 μg/g), and α-pinene (188.91 μg/g), which were the four most abundant volatile compounds in dried LSs. Additionally, active ingredients in HPD-LSs generally featured relative high levels of available amounts. In contrast, HAD- and FID-LSs typically displayed unfavorable coloration and low retention levels of natural and available active ingredients. Consequently, FD and HPD demonstrate superior suitability for the commercial-scale production of dried LSs.
Keywords: lemon slice; drying method; phytochemical preservation; bioactive compounds; volatile components; antioxidant activity lemon slice; drying method; phytochemical preservation; bioactive compounds; volatile components; antioxidant activity

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, Z.; Fu, Q.; Hao, G.; Gu, Y.; Sun, T.; Gao, L.; Wang, B.; Wang, S.; Zheng, X.; Yang, Z.; et al. Physical Aspects, Phytochemical Profiles, and Nutritional Properties of Lemon (Citrus limon) Slices Under Different Drying Technologies. Foods 2025, 14, 2586. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152586

AMA Style

Wang Z, Fu Q, Hao G, Gu Y, Sun T, Gao L, Wang B, Wang S, Zheng X, Yang Z, et al. Physical Aspects, Phytochemical Profiles, and Nutritional Properties of Lemon (Citrus limon) Slices Under Different Drying Technologies. Foods. 2025; 14(15):2586. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152586

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Zhirong, Qingqing Fu, Guijie Hao, Yuanwei Gu, Tianqi Sun, Lu Gao, Bo Wang, Shuai Wang, Xiangfeng Zheng, Zhenquan Yang, and et al. 2025. "Physical Aspects, Phytochemical Profiles, and Nutritional Properties of Lemon (Citrus limon) Slices Under Different Drying Technologies" Foods 14, no. 15: 2586. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152586

APA Style

Wang, Z., Fu, Q., Hao, G., Gu, Y., Sun, T., Gao, L., Wang, B., Wang, S., Zheng, X., Yang, Z., & Rao, S. (2025). Physical Aspects, Phytochemical Profiles, and Nutritional Properties of Lemon (Citrus limon) Slices Under Different Drying Technologies. Foods, 14(15), 2586. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152586

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