The invention relates to the technical field of 
fruits and vegetables, in particular to a 
drying and 
processing method for improving the 
retention rate of 
carotenoid in pumpkins. Namely, the pumpkins are selected, cleaned and peeled, pulp and seeds are removed, the pumpkins are 
cut into slices of 4-6 mm, and then 
coating treatment is performed in a 
potato starch solution with the 
mass concentration of 2%-3% or a corn 
phosphate double-
starch solution with the 
mass concentration of 0.5%-1.5% at the temperature of 80-85 DEG C for 5-15 minutes; 
drying treatment is performed in a vacuum 
microwave drying device after 
air drying, the 
microwave power is controlled to be 4-5 W / g, the vacuum degree is controlled to be 80-90 KPa, and the 
drying time is controlled to be 3-5 minutes; then 
freeze drying is performed, drying stops when the 
water content of the pumpkin slices is 3%-5%, and 
nitrogen filled packaging is conducted on products. The drying and 
processing method improves the 
retention rate of the carotenoids in the pumpkins to the most degree, the beta-
carotene retention rate is 93% or above, the alpha-
carotene retention rate is 94% or above, the 
lutein retention rate is 71% or above, and the 
provitamin A and color and luster of the products are kept well. In addition, by the adoption of the method, the 
drying time is saved, and the 
energy consumption of production is reduced.