What is the drying process for Chinese herbal medicines?

Drying Chinese herbal medicines is becoming increasingly common, and the drying process directly impacts the retention of medicinal efficacy and the quality of the finished product. With the in-depth application of intelligent technology in TCM processing, herbal medicine dryer are undergoing a transformation and upgrade from traditional hot air drying to intelligent control, becoming key equipment in the modern production of TCM decoction pieces.

1. Pretreatment

• Cleaning: Wash the harvested herbs with clean water to remove surface sand and impurities.

• Slicing or Segmenting: Cut the cleaned herbs into slices or segments of appropriate thickness, generally 2-4mm.

• Temperature Control: Drying temperature is a key parameter. It is generally maintained between 20°C and 65°C, with drying at around 60°C generally recommended.

2. Drying Stage

• Humidity Control: Regulate the humidity in the drying chamber using equipment such as heat pump herbal medicine dryers to ensure even evaporation of moisture during the drying process.

• Time Control: Drying time is generally 4-5 hours, with the specific time adjusted based on the initial moisture content and slice thickness.

• Material Placement: Arrange the herbs evenly on the drying rack or baking tray, generally no thicker than 2cm, to ensure adequate contact between the hot air and the herbs.

Heat pump herbal medicine dryers are currently the most ideal herbal medicine drying equipment, offering advantages such as high efficiency, energy saving, environmental protection, and safety. They can precisely control temperature and humidity to ensure the quality of the Chinese medicinal materials.