RESUMO
Objective: To study the browning mechanism of drying Pinelliae Rhizoma. Methods: The activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, and the surface color data of drying Pinelliae Rhizoma were measured by chromaticity instrument. To draw a conclusion that whether Enzymatic browning was the unique factor of browning reaction or not by analyzing the relationship between the above two sets of data. To detect the kinds and content of reducing sugar by HPLC-ELSD and measure the kinds of amino acids in Pinelliae Rhizoma by amino acid analyzer. Through testing the results the possibility of Maillard reaction was analyzed. Results: The factor of the color-change of Pinelliae Rhizoma is not unique, Enzymatic browning is in the prophase of the drying process and Maillard reaction also contributes to the color-change. Conclusion: The factor in the process of Pinelliae Rhizoma color-change is not single. Both enzymatic browning and Maillard reaction impact on the color-change of Pinelliae Rhizoma.