Define Advantages of Blanching?

Blanching as a pre-treatment before drying has the following advantages:

1. It helps in cleaning the material and reducing the amount of microorganisms present on the surface;

2. It preserves the natural colour in the dried products; for example, the carotenoid (orange and yellow) pigments dissolve in small intracellular oil drops during blanching and in this way they are protected from oxidative breakdown during drying;

3. It shortens the soaking and/or cooking time during reconstitution.