Silica –Gel Drying an Effective Preservation Technique for Value Addition of Orchid Flowers

Aim: Demand of dry flowers is cumulative day by day equally in national and international marketplace, as dried flowers have a prodigious potential as substitute of fresh flowers. This study aims to know the effect of Silica-gel drying technique on the quality of Orchid flowers.

Study Design: The experimental research design was adopted and flowers were subjected to Silica-gel drying technique.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was during October 2017- November 2020 in the Department of Family Resource Management, College of Community Science, Dharwad.

Methodology: White and Purple Orchid were selected and collected from local growers. Moisture loss, time taken for drying, Effect on Qualitative parameters were statistically analyzed. Dried flowers were added value through application of color. Dyed flowers were used in development of products such as frames and potpourris. Cost of each product was estimated and 30 consumers selected randomly assessed the products for consumer acceptability.

Results: The results reveal that in Silica-gel drying technique Orchid has taken 5 days to dry completely. Maximum moisture loss was 81-83 per cent. Color of Orchid had faded and appearance became lusterless. Hence value addition of color was required for these flowers. The most suitable value addition was Fabric paints, Oil and Spray paints. Some value added products were prepared from dried orchids such as frames and potpourris. The consumer acceptability of these products was extremely acceptable.

Conclusion: The existing technology has the prospective to employ thousands of people especially to unemployed youths, Schools and College drop-outs, housewives and rural women’s as limitless aesthetic products can be shaped using dry flower technology, it can start up a small scale industry from their householdscan perform exceptionally to begin new markets. There is a necessity to generate adequate consciousness about the potential of this technology by workshops and seminars etc.