Fritillaria processing steps
The fritillary processing procedure is divided into the following steps:
Excavating→washing→draining→slicing→drying
1.Excavating
When the leaves of Fritillaria begin to turn yellow and wither, the root bulbs can be harvested at this time. The excavation time is preferably 10 days after the beginning of summer, because the medicinal effect of Fritillaria are better at this time. The excavated fritillary should not be held in the hand for a long time, otherwise it would become “oily” after processing. At the same time, when transporting the fritillary, handle it lightly to avoid damage to the bulb.
2.Cleaning
The freshly excavated Fritillaria is similar to lily. It needs to be poured into the washing machine to clean up the soil on the bulb in time and should be rinsed repeatedly.
3.Draining
The washed Fritillaria is graded into the frame basket to the size, and then spread out. After draining the water, it should be sliced.
4.Slicing
Pay attention to the thickness when you slice the fritillaria. Small fritillary with a diameter of less than 2 cm should be sliced with a slicer or directly dried. Larger fritillary with a diameter of more than 2 cm should be sliced manually, and the thickness should be 4-6 mm .
Fritillaria drying process
Place the fritillary on the baking tray evenly according to the size, insert the baking tray into the material cart and then pushed into the drying room. The initial temperature of fritillary was set to 45°C, and then slowly raised to 50°C-55°C. Note that the temperature should not exceed 75°C, so as to avoid high temperature affecting the medicinal components of Fritillaria. The temperature setting is preferably at 60°C-65°C, and a batch of fritillaria should be dried for about 20-24 hours, that will keep the appearance and the medicine effect of the fritillaria at the best condition.
Precautions
Store the dried fritillaria slice on the shelves of the warehouse, do not stack them against the wall. Ensure that the warehouse is clean, dried, protected from light, and free from peculiar smell and pollution. You should strictly take measures such as pest control and regular inspection to prevent mildew. Do not slice the cleaned Fritillaria immediately, as its skin is fragile and is easily chopped after cleaning, otherwise it would have poor appearance after slicing.