Post‐Harvest Drying and Environmental Effects on the Chemical Quality of Sage ( <i>Salvia officinalis</i> L.)

This study investigated the impact of drying conditions on the key quality characteristics of sage grown in two locations. Seven different drying conditions (sun, ventilated room, microwave (100 and 200 Watt), convective, hybrid, and freeze-drying) were investigated in sage plants harvested from field experiments in Ankara and Kayseri locations. Essential oil content, essential oil components, DPPH radical scavenging capacity, rehydration rate, and color properties were determined in sage. The study found that drying conditions significantly affected essential oil content, DPPH radical scavenging capacity, rehydration rate, and color characteristics (L*, a*, and ΔE) across all locations. In the analysis, 24 essential oil components were determined. In both locations, α-thujone, 13-epimanool, and veridiflorol were identified as the major components. As a result of the study, a microwave of 100 W was superior for essential oil content, and ventilated room, convective, and freeze-drying conditions were exceptional for DPPH radical scavenging capacity. The results demonstrated that the Microwave100W application increased the essential oil content by approximately 4.7 times in Ankara and 7.3 times in Kayseri relative to the fresh samples. Additionally, drying in a ventilated room was determined to be the recommended method for producing a quality essential oil composition.