Preparation of rhizoma polygonati and treatment process thereof

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of traditional Chinese medicine processing, in particular to a prepared rhizoma polygonati and a processing technology thereof. The processing technology of the prepared rhizoma polygonati comprises the following steps: S1, steaming rhizoma polygonati tubers for multiple times, slicing, and obtaining rhizoma polygonati slices; S2, drying the rhizoma polygonati slices to a moisture content of 15-40%, and then vacuum puffing to obtain puffed rhizoma polygonati slices; S3, soaking and adsorbing the puffed rhizoma polygonati slices in an immersion liquid until the moisture content reaches 50-90%, obtaining immersed rhizoma polygonati slices, then freeze-drying the immersed rhizoma polygonati slices until the moisture content reaches 20-35%, taking out, and drying at 40-55 DEG C to obtain prepared rhizoma polygonati; the solvent of the immersion liquid is water, and the solute comprises trehalose and isomaltooligosaccharide; the prepared rhizoma polygonati has the advantages that the contents of leachate and rhizoma polygonati polysaccharide in the prepared rhizoma polygonati can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of processing traditional Chinese medicine, and in particular to a method for processing Polygonatum sibiricum and its processing technology. Background Technology

[0002] Polygonatum kingianum Coll. et Hemsl., a plant in the Liliaceae family, is the dried rhizome of this medicinal herb. Processed Polygonatum kingianum is the prepared form of the herb. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that raw Polygonatum kingianum has a certain degree of irritation and may irritate the throat if taken directly. Processed Polygonatum kingianum, however, eliminates this adverse reaction and enhances its spleen-tonifying, lung-moistening, and kidney-benefiting effects. Ideally, processed Polygonatum kingianum should have a black and glossy surface, a dark brown center, a soft texture, and a sweet taste.

[0003] Traditional processing methods for Polygonatum sibiricum mainly involve the "nine-steaming and nine-drying" method, or steaming with auxiliary materials such as wine and black beans. Currently, the industry's processing standards mainly refer to the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Chinese Pharmacopoeia"). For example, the processing method for Polygonatum sibiricum recorded in Part I of the 2015 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia is as follows: Take the raw medicinal material, remove impurities, wash, slightly moisten, place in a suitable container, steam for about 8 hours, let it sit overnight, repeat this steaming process until it becomes moist and dark brown, remove, air dry, cut into thick slices, and dry completely. However, the content of extractives in Polygonatum sibiricum prepared by this method can only reach 64.9%, and the content of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides is also low. Therefore, how to process it to increase the content of extractives and Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides still needs further research. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to increase the content of extracts and polysaccharides in processed Polygonatum sibiricum, this application provides a process for processing Polygonatum sibiricum.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a processing method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum, which adopts the following technical solution: A processing method for producing Polygonatum sibiricum includes the following steps: S1, Steaming Drain the washed Solomon's Seal tubers, then steam for 2-4 hours, simmer for 1-3 hours, and dry until the moisture content is below 20%. Repeat this steaming process several times, and after the last steaming, dry until the moisture content is between 60-80%, then slice to obtain Solomon's Seal slices. S2, Vacuum Puffing The slices of Polygonatum were dried to a moisture content of 15-40%, and then placed in a low-temperature vacuum puffing device. They were processed for 2-5 minutes at 60-70℃ and a vacuum degree of less than 1.0 bar to obtain puffed Polygonatum slices. S3, Adsorbent Impregnation Solution The expanded Polygonatum slices were soaked in the soaking solution for adsorption until the water content reached 50-90%, and then the Polygonatum slices were frozen at (-50)-(-30)℃. After that, the freeze drying was started until the water content in the Polygonatum slices reached 20-35%. The slices were then taken out and dried at 40-55℃ to obtain processed Polygonatum. The impregnation solution is water as the solvent, and the solutes include trehalose and isomaltooligosaccharide.

[0006] By adopting the above technical solution, this application uses a "steam-simmer" cycle treatment, and then slices the product when the moisture content is controlled at 60-80%. After slicing, the product is dried to a moisture content of 15-40%, and then vacuum puffed. The vacuum puffing process can form microporous channels inside the Polygonatum slices. These microporous channels can more quickly absorb the impregnation liquid, allowing the macromolecules in the impregnation liquid to fully enter the interior of the Polygonatum slices. Trehalose in the impregnation liquid can replace water molecules to protect the biological structure and form a glassy state in the product to prevent brittleness. Isomaltooligosaccharide has good moisturizing and viscosity properties. The two work synergistically to form a stable, non-crystalline sugar matrix in the micropores and fibrous skeleton inside the Polygonatum slices after freeze-drying and baking. This fundamentally changes the mechanical properties of the product and makes up for the brittleness caused by freeze-drying and baking, thus preparing a flexible Polygonatum product. Furthermore, both vacuum puffing and freeze drying are beneficial for the formation of internal channels in Polygonatum slices, which facilitates the full extraction of effective substances and enhances the efficacy. In addition, the freeze drying process can retain more extracts and polysaccharides in Polygonatum, and also improves the flexibility of Polygonatum.

[0007] Preferably, in step S1, the steaming process is repeated 3-5 times.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution and setting the steaming process, the processing requirements of Polygonatum can be met by steaming it a few times, resulting in a black color, sweet taste, and elimination of irritation. This also significantly shortens the production cycle and improves efficiency.

[0009] Preferably, the trehalose in the impregnation solution has a mass fraction of 5-10%, and the isomaltooligosaccharide has a mass fraction of 3-5%.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution and limiting the concentration range of trehalose and isomaltooligosaccharide, it is possible to ensure that the processed Polygonatum has suitable flexibility. If the concentration is too low, it will easily lead to insufficient toughening effect; if the concentration is too high, on the one hand, the surface tension of the impregnation solution will be too large, making it difficult for the Polygonatum slices to be absorbed; on the other hand, it will also easily lead to the surface of the processed Polygonatum product being sticky.

[0011] Preferably, the solute in the impregnation solution also includes a colloid, wherein the mass fraction of the colloid is 0.5-1%.

[0012] Preferably, the colloid is one or more of gum arabic, guar gum, and gellan gum.

[0013] By employing the above technical solution, food-grade colloids are added to the impregnation solution. These colloids form a viscous solution in water, which, after penetrating the pores of the puffed slices, forms a strong gel network or film upon drying. Together with sugars, they construct a more robust "support-protection" composite network, further enhancing flexibility (elasticity, chewiness). Gum arabic also increases surface gloss; gellan gum and guar gum form heat-irreversible gels, making the product texture more stable. A concentration of 0.5-1% is the preferred range, balancing effectiveness, cost, and taste (avoiding excessive guminess).

[0014] Preferably, the slice thickness in S1 is 0.3-1cm.

[0015] Using the above technical solutions, excessively thin thicknesses are prone to breakage during vacuum expansion and freeze-drying, and may lead to excessive water absorption and morphological collapse during adsorption impregnation. Furthermore, it hinders uniform heat and pressure conduction during vacuum expansion, potentially causing uneven expansion. Simultaneously, it affects the efficiency of moisture migration during impregnation and subsequent drying, resulting in differences in internal and external quality. A thickness range of 0.3-1 cm provides a better balance between process adaptability, processing efficiency, and the edible / pharmaceutical convenience of the final product.

[0016] Preferably, in step S1, the drying temperature before the final steaming is 70-85℃, and the drying temperature after the final steaming is 50-65℃.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the drying temperature before the final steaming is relatively high, which can improve the drying rate. Furthermore, the effect of the subsequent soaking liquid can compensate for the shortcomings such as the brittle texture caused by the high temperature, thereby improving the processing efficiency. The drying temperature at the final exit of the steamer can more accurately control the remaining moisture content.

[0018] Secondly, this application provides a method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum, which adopts the following technical solution: A processed Polygonatum, wherein the processed Polygonatum is obtained by the processing technology of Polygonatum.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the prepared Polygonatum sibiricum is pliable and chewy, not easily brittle, and has uniform micropores formed internally due to vacuum expansion, while maintaining a porous framework due to freeze drying. It has excellent rehydration properties, higher dissolution and retention rates of active ingredients (extracts and polysaccharides), and is more stable due to the protective effect of trehalose. The product surface may be more glossy due to the impregnation solution and process, and its color, aroma, and sweetness are optimized.

[0020] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. This application employs a "steam-simmer" cycle treatment, followed by slicing when the moisture content is controlled at 60-80%. After slicing, the product is dried further until the moisture content reaches 15-40%, and then vacuum puffed. The vacuum puffing process enables the formation of microporous channels inside the Polygonatum slices. These microporous channels can more quickly absorb the impregnation solution, allowing the macromolecules in the impregnation solution to fully penetrate into the Polygonatum slices. Trehalose in the impregnation solution can replace water molecules to protect the biological structure and form a glassy state in the product, preventing brittleness. Isomaltooligosaccharide has good moisturizing and viscosity properties. The two work synergistically to form a stable, non-crystalline sugar matrix in the micropores and fibrous skeleton within the Polygonatum slices after freeze-drying and oven-drying. This fundamentally changes the mechanical properties of the product, compensating for the brittleness caused by freeze-drying and oven-drying, and producing a flexible Polygonatum product. Furthermore, both vacuum puffing and freeze drying are beneficial for the formation of internal channels in Polygonatum slices, which facilitates the full extraction of effective substances and enhances the efficacy. In addition, the freeze drying process can retain more extracts and polysaccharides in Polygonatum, and also improves the flexibility of Polygonatum.

[0021] 2. Adding food-grade colloids to the impregnation solution creates a viscous solution that penetrates the pores of the puffed slices. Upon drying, this solution forms a strong gel network or film, working with sugars to build a more robust support-protection composite network, further enhancing flexibility (elasticity, chewiness). Gum arabic also increases surface gloss; glucon and gellan gum form heat-irreversible gels, making the product more stable. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following provides a more detailed description of this application in conjunction with specific details.

[0023] raw material The raw materials used in the preparation examples and embodiments of this application are all commercially available products. Among them, the Polygonatum sibiricum used in the embodiments of this application is from Hunan Province and is a high-quality product; trehalose is purchased from Henan Juyang Industrial Co., Ltd., is food grade, and has an effective substance content of 98%; isomaltooligosaccharide is purchased from Zhengzhou Wanbo Chemical Products Co., Ltd., is food grade, is in powder form, and is model IMO-50; gellan gum is purchased from Henan Beiyi Biotechnology Co., Ltd., is food grade, and has the product number D-Y30.

[0024] Preparation Example Preparation Example 1 An impregnation solution, the processing technology of which is as follows: Trehalose and isomaltooligosaccharide were added to purified water and stirred until dissolved to obtain an impregnation solution; wherein the mass fraction of trehalose was 7.5% and the mass fraction of isomaltooligosaccharide was 4%.

[0025] Preparation Example 2 An impregnation solution, the raw materials of which further include 0.75% gellan gum by mass, and the processing technology is as follows: The purified water is heated to 80°C, and trehalose, isomaltooligosaccharide and gellan gum are added and stirred until dissolved. Then it is cooled to 45°C to obtain the impregnation solution. When applying it, it should also be kept in the range of 40-50°C. Example

[0026] Example 1 The processing technology for preparing Polygonatum is as follows: S1, Steaming Drain the washed Solomon's Seal tubers, place them in a wooden steamer and steam for 3 hours, then let them sit for 2 hours. After steaming, dry them at 80℃ until the moisture content is below 20%. Repeat this steaming process 4 times. After the last steaming, dry them at 60℃ until the moisture content is between 65-75%. At this point, the Solomon's Seal is brownish-black. Then slice it into pieces with a thickness of 0.5cm to obtain Solomon's Seal slices. S2, Vacuum Puffing The slices of Polygonatum were dried at 60°C until the moisture content was between 30-40%. They were then placed in a low-temperature vacuum puffing device and processed at 65°C and 0.8 bar for 4 minutes. The processed slices of Polygonatum expanded slightly in volume, formed microporous channels inside, and softened slightly to the touch, thus obtaining puffed Polygonatum slices. S3, Adsorbent Impregnation Solution The puffed Polygonatum slices were immersed in an impregnation solution (prepared by the method of Preparation Example 1) for adsorption until the moisture content reached 70-80%, resulting in impregnated Polygonatum slices. These slices were then placed on a freeze-drying tray and rapidly frozen at -40°C. The vacuum system was then activated to reduce the pressure inside the chamber to 10 Pa, and the slices were freeze-dried until the moisture content in the impregnated Polygonatum slices reached 30%. The slices were then removed and dried at 45°C until the moisture content reached between 8-12%, resulting in processed Polygonatum. The processed Polygonatum had a moist, brownish-black surface with a glossy finish, a dark brown cross-section, a strong caramel aroma, and a sweet taste.

[0027] Example 2 The difference between this preparation of Polygonatum and Example 1 is that the impregnation solution used in S3 is prepared by the method of Preparation Example 2, and the temperature of the impregnation solution is maintained in the range of 40-50°C during the impregnation process. The remaining steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0028] Example 3 The method of preparing Polygonatum differs from Example 2 in that, in S2, Polygonatum slices are dried at 60°C until the moisture content is between 15-25%, and then placed in a low-temperature vacuum puffing device for vacuum puffing. The remaining steps are the same as in Example 2.

[0029] Example 4 The method of preparing Polygonatum differs from Example 2 in that, in its S1 step, the steaming process is repeated 3 times, while the remaining steps are the same as in Example 2.

[0030] Example 5 The method of preparing Polygonatum differs from Example 2 in that, in S1, the steaming process is repeated 5 times, while the remaining steps are the same as in Example 2.

[0031] Example 6 The method of preparing Polygonatum differs from Example 2 in that, in S1, the slice thickness is 0.3 cm, while the remaining steps are the same as in Example 2.

[0032] Example 7 The method of preparing Polygonatum differs from Example 2 in that, in step S3, the Polygonatum slices are freeze-dried until the water content in the soaked slices reaches 20%, while the remaining steps are the same as in Example 2.

[0033] Example 8 The method of preparing Polygonatum differs from Example 2 in that, in step S3, the Polygonatum slices are freeze-dried until the water content reaches 35%, while the remaining steps are the same as in Example 2.

[0034] Comparative Example Comparative Example 1 The method of preparing Polygonatum differs from Example 1 in that, in S1, the steaming process is repeated twice, while the remaining steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0035] Comparative Example 2 The preparation of Polygonatum differs from that of Example 1 in that vacuum puffing is not performed in the preparation steps. Instead, after the Polygonatum slices are dried to a moisture content of 30-40%, they are impregnated. The remaining steps are the same as those in Example 1.

[0036] Comparative Example 3 A method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum, which differs from Example 1 in that the impregnation solution in S3 is replaced with purified water, while the remaining steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0037] Comparative Example 4 The method of preparing Polygonatum differs from Example 1 in that, in step S3, the soaked Polygonatum slices are freeze-dried until the moisture content reaches 8-12%, and no further drying is performed. The remaining steps are the same as in Example 1.

[0038] Performance testing Detection methods / test methods Polygonatum was prepared according to the processing methods of Examples 1-8 and Comparative Examples 1-4, and then tested as follows. The test results are shown in Table 1.

[0039] Reference standard: Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2015 Edition, Part I; Inspection basis: "Quality Standard and Inspection Operation Procedures for Processed Polygonatum" (No.: 02010-2).

[0040] In process S3, after the expanded Polygonatum slices adsorb the impregnation liquid, their surface is wiped clean, the mass of the adsorbed impregnation liquid is weighed and calculated, and the solute content of the impregnation liquid is calculated according to the adsorbed mass. When detecting the extract and Polygonatum polysaccharide, the solute content in the impregnation liquid is removed.

[0041] Flexibility rating: The flexibility of the prepared Polygonatum samples from Examples 1-8 and Comparative Examples 1-4 was rated. Among them, soft and tough was 8-10 points, soft and not easy to break was 5-7 points, slightly hard and tough was 2-4 points, and hard and brittle was 0-1 points.

[0042] Table 1. Detection results of Examples 1-8 and Comparative Examples 1-4

[0043] As can be seen from the test data in Table 1, the total ash, moisture and sulfur dioxide residue of the prepared Polygonatum sibiricum are all low. On this basis, the content of its extract can reach 86.3% or above, and the highest can reach 87.0%. Meanwhile, the content of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides is between 8.4% and 8.8%; and its flexibility is good.

[0044] In conjunction with Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, when the number of steaming cycles was insufficient, the content of extract and Polygonatum polysaccharides was low. In conjunction with Comparative Example 2, without vacuum puffing, the micropores in the Polygonatum slices were small and few, affecting the adsorption of the soaking solution and resulting in insufficient toughness of the finished Polygonatum product. In conjunction with Comparative Examples 3-4, when the soaking solution was replaced with pure water or directly freeze-dried, the prepared Polygonatum exhibited freeze-dried characteristics, becoming hard and brittle, which is unsuitable for practical applications of Polygonatum and detrimental to its taste.

[0045] In conjunction with Examples 1-2, adding edible colloids to the impregnation solution is beneficial to the flexibility of the prepared Polygonatum product, and it is also more conducive to maintaining its flexibility for a long time during actual storage.

[0046] In conjunction with Examples 2-3, during vacuum puffing, retaining a certain range of moisture in the Polygonatum slices can improve the puffing effect.

[0047] Combining Examples 2 and 4-5, the expected steaming effect can be achieved when the steaming frequency is 4-6 times. In Example 6, the thickness of the Polygonatum slices should not be too thin, as this is detrimental to product shaping and flexibility.

[0048] In conjunction with Examples 2 and 7-8, the sliced ​​Polygonatum sibiricum need to retain a certain moisture content after freeze-drying; otherwise, the processed Polygonatum sibiricum will easily become hard and brittle.

[0049] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art can make modifications to this embodiment without contributing any inventive step, but such modifications are protected by patent law as long as they are within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A processing method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum, characterized in that: It includes the following steps: S1, Steaming Drain the washed Solomon's Seal tubers, then steam for 2-4 hours, simmer for 1-3 hours, and dry until the moisture content is below 20%. Repeat this steaming process several times, and after the last steaming, dry until the moisture content is between 60-80%, then slice to obtain Solomon's Seal slices. S2, Vacuum Puffing The slices of Polygonatum were dried to a moisture content of 15-40%, and then placed in a low-temperature vacuum puffing device. They were processed for 2-5 minutes at 60-70℃ and a vacuum degree of less than 1.0 bar to obtain puffed Polygonatum slices. S3, Adsorbent Impregnation Solution The expanded Polygonatum slices were soaked in the soaking solution for adsorption until the water content reached 50-90%, and then the Polygonatum slices were frozen at (-50)-(-30)℃. After that, the freeze drying was started until the water content in the Polygonatum slices reached 20-35%. The slices were then taken out and dried at 40-55℃ to obtain processed Polygonatum. The impregnation solution is water as the solvent, and the solutes include trehalose and isomaltooligosaccharide.

2. The processing method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the steaming process is repeated 3-5 times.

3. The processing method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the impregnation solution, the mass fraction of trehalose is 5-10%, and the mass fraction of isomaltooligosaccharide is 3-5%.

4. The processing method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum according to claim 3, characterized in that: The solute in the impregnation solution also includes colloids, and the mass fraction of the colloids is 0.5-1%.

5. The processing method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum according to claim 4, characterized in that: The colloid is one or more of gum arabic, guar gum, and gellan gum.

6. The processing method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the slice in S1 is 0.3-1cm.

7. The processing method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the drying temperature before the final steaming is 70-85℃, and the drying temperature after the final steaming is 50-65℃.

8. A method for preparing Polygonatum sibiricum, characterized in that: The prepared Polygonatum is obtained by the processing technology of any one of claims 1-7.

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