Carrots were dried using 30, 50, and 80% polyethylene glycol (PEG) or maltodextrin as a dehydrating agent, and the dried carrots were compared with the freeze dried and hot-air dried in terms of rehydration ratio, color, carotene content, and sensory evaluation. The amount of moisture loss during drying of carrots using PEG or maltodextrin increased with increasing concentration of dehydrating agent. Rehydration ratio as well as carotene content of the PEG-treated carrots were greater than those of freeze-dried or hot-air dried carrots. Regarding color and sensory evaluation of the dried carrots, the PEG-treated and maltodextrin-treated carrots were better than freeze-dried or hot-air dried carrots. These results suggest that drying of carrots using PEG or maltodextrin is a very efficient method because of its good rehydration capacity and minimal destruction of nutrients and cell structure.

The antiradical property of hot water extract from dried radish (DR) or dried radish roasted with pressure (DRRP) was investigated in vitro and in LLC-PK1 cell system. The contents of total free amino acid and reducing sugar in DR were decreased by 72.86% and 3.17%, respectively, after pressurized roasting. In vitro test, IC50 for DR and DRRP for DPPH radical scavenging activity were 646.70 and 135.45 μg/mL, 896.10 and 566.98 μg/mL for superoxide anion radical, and 722.26 and 531.84 μg/mL for hydroxy radical, respectively. The radical scavenging effects of DRRP was significantly greater than those for DR (p<0.001). These radical scavenging effects of DR and DRRP were confirmed in LLC-PK1 at which oxidative stresses were induced by superoxide, nitric oxide and peroxynitrite generated in the treatment of pyrogallol, SNP, and SIN-1, respectively. Cell viability was increased in the presence of DR or DRRP, dose dependently (p<0.05), and TBARS formation was decreased. The protective effects of DRRP against oxidative damage in LLC-PK1 were greater than those of DR at the same concentration tested (p<0.05). This superior antiradical activity of DRRP might be due to the products produced during the pressurized roasting in addition to the antioxidative compounds originally present in the radish. 5-hydroxyl methyl furfural (5-HMF) known as an intermediate product of the maillard reaction was detected in DRRP (0.57 mg/g), but not from DR. In conclusion, daily consumption of DRRP may prevent oxidative damage by retarding oxidative stress.