Abstract: In order to obtain optimal conditions for drying Sparassia crispa fruit bodies, four drying methods including low-temperature drying, microwave drying, freeze-vacuum drying and high-temperature drying were individually used to dry Sparassia crispa fruit bodies for understanding of the effects of drying method, temperature and time on the retention of polysaccharides and the removal of water from Sparassia crispa fruit bodies By using orthogonal array design, the optimal low-temperature drying conditions were determined as drying constantly at 50 ℃ for 1.5 h, and the contents of poysaccharides and water in the dried Sparassia crispa fruit bodies were respectively 6.18% and 9.5%; the optimal microwave drying conditions were determined as treatment at medium fire power for 6 min, and the contents of poysaccharides and water in the dried Sparassia crispa fruit bodies were respectively 3.78% and 8.5%. The polysaccharide content of the dried Sparassia crispa fruit bodies obtained by freeze-vacuum drying was as high as 34.80% and the water content was as low as 2.66%. The Sparassia crispa fruit bodies dried at 100 ℃ for 30 min contained 6.05% polysaccharides and 9.2% water. These data demonstrate that freeze-vacuum drying result in the highest retention rate of polysaccharides and the highest removal rate of water from Sparassia crispa fruit bodies.

Key words: Sparassia crispa, drying, polysaccharides