Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (2024) 79:194–201

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-024-01147-0

RESEARCH

Mixed‑Mode Solar Drying and its Effect on Physicochemical

and Colorimetric Properties of Zompantle (Erythrina Americana)
Octavio García‑Valladares1 · Alfredo Domínguez‑Niño1,2 · Ana María Lucho‑Gómez1 ·
Andrea Gail Jiménez‑Montiel1 · Arcel Siareth Rodríguez‑Mendoza1 · Beatriz Castillo‑Téllez3 ·
Mario Luna‑Flores4 · Margarita Castillo‑Téllez5

Accepted: 22 January 2024 / Published online: 8 February 2024

© The Author(s) 2024

Abstract
A mixed-mode solar drying was developed to evaluate the physicochemical and colorimetric properties of Zompantle (Eryth-
rina americana). A ­22-factorial design was used; the operation mode (mesh shade and direct) and airflow (natural convection
and forced convection) were established as factors in this design. The initial moisture content in the Zompantle flower was
reduced from 89.03% (w.b) to values that ranged from 3.84% to 5.84%; depending on the operation mode of the dryer, the
final water activity ranged from 0.25 to 0.33. The Zompantle’s components as proteins (4.28%), antioxidant activity (18.8%),
carbohydrates (4.83%), fat (0.92%), fiber (3.71%), ash (0.94%), and total soluble solids (3°Brix) increased as the water was
evaporated during the drying. The increment in the Zompantle’s components depends on the operation mode; in direct mode
and natural convection, the proteins, antioxidant activity, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, ash, and total soluble solids were 6.99%,
61.69%, 79.05%, 1.20%, 3.84%, 8.70%, and 45 °Brix, respectively. The total drying efficiency was 14.84% with the direct
mode and natural convection (DM-NC) and 17.10% with the mesh shade and natural convection (MS-NC). The Hue angle
measures the property of the color; the indirect mode and natural convection keep the hue angle close to the initial value
(29.2 °). The initial chroma value of the Zompantle flower was 55.07; the indirect mode and natural convection kept high
saturation (37.58); these dry conditions ensured a red color in the dehydrated Zompantle. Dehydrated Zompantle’s flowers
could have several practical applications, such as an additive in traditional Mexican cuisine.

Keywords Edible flower · Zompantle · Solar drying · Ultraviolet radiation · Proteins · Solar energy

Introduction

Zompantle, Erythrina americana Mill, is an endemic tree;

it was a sacred tree for Aztecs, who took advantage of its
medical properties that are still used nowadays [1]. There
* Alfredo Domínguez‑Niño are 113 species of Erythrina worldwide, mainly in tropical
aldoni@ier.unam.mx
and subtropical regions, and it is commercialized in South
1
Departamento de Sistemas Energéticos, Instituto de Energías America, Central America, and West Africa. Twenty-seven
Renovables-UNAM, Temixco, Morelos, Mexico of these species are found in regions of Mexico such as
2
Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencia y México City, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán,
Tecnología-Cátedra CONAHCYT, Dirección Adjunta de Morelos, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero, Nuevo León, Puebla,
Desarrollo Científico, Mexico City, Mexico Querétaro, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Yucatán [2].
3
Departamento de Agua y Energía, Centro Universitario de Erythrina americana Mill, also known as Zompantle, col-
Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá, Jalisco, Mexico orin, cochizquilitl, gasparito, pemuche, machete, pichoco,
4
Departamento de Ingeniería en Procesos Bioalimentarios, and alcaparras, among other nicknames, belongs to the
Universidad Tecnológica del Centro de Veracruz, Cuitláhuac, leguminous family [3]. The Zompantle’s blossoms are fried
Veracruz, Mexico
or boiled in stews or sauces and are appreciated because
5
Facultad de Ingeniería, San Francisco de Campeche, of their high protein and lipid content, representing a great
Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Campeche, Mexico

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Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (2024) 79:194–201 195

food alternative. However, due to its high content of humid- could have several practical applications, for instance, as an
ity, Zompantle is highly transitory and has a propensity to additive not only in traditional Mexican cuisine but also for
decomposition reactions; regularly, the studied species of dishes such as pasta, creams, flours, and even formulated
edible flowers have short commercial longevity, which var- foods. The impact and degree of incidence of this research
ies from 4 to 10 days, while the maximum total longevity is that results that were obtained in this study will be applied
varies from 6 to 14 days [4]. Consumption of dry flowers to specific problems such as the use of fossil fuels with ris-
has increased due to their nutritional and medicinal value; ing prices, which deteriorate the environment, food waste in
therefore, drying has been the most used among numerous rural areas of the country, hunger and energy poverty; devel-
preservation methods. In the open literature, some studies opment of community centers for solar dehydration of food
have been reported on the drying of edible flowers such as in rural areas to reduce food waste, seeking to contribute to
pumpkin flower [6], walnut male flower [7], daylilies [8], reducing environmental impact, increasing regional com-
magnolia liliiflora [9], marigold flower, jasmine, carnation munity economic development, as well as greater production
[10]. However, conventional methods such as freeze drying, and availability of nutritious products in the market and at
combined far-infrared radiation with hot air convection, hot the rural families. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the
air drying, microwave drying, vacuum drying, hybrid drying, effect of mixed-mode solar drying on the physicochemical
and dehumidified drying have been reported [11]. Nowadays, and colorimetric properties of Zompantle the flower.
the application of solar technologies in food preservation has
been developed. Solar drying is an effective, safe, and low-
priced food preservation technique with minimal environ- Material and Methods
mental impact. This process is more economical than storage
because dried flowers occupy less space, weigh less, and do Detailed description is provided in the supplementary infor-
not require refrigeration [5]. A solar dryer uses solar radia- mation file.
tion, forced convection, and natural ventilation to decrease
the humidity content in a product [12]. This technology can
be used to obtain quickly processed products, store them Results and Discussion
for long periods, and use them conveniently to manufac-
ture formulated foods. Drying decreases the water-related Characterization of Zompantle Flower
activities of plants and consequently inhibits the growth of
microorganisms while decreasing the rate of the biochemi- The initial moisture content and water activity of the zom-
cal reactions, thus extending the shelf life of the products at pantle flower were 89.03% (w.b.) and 0.970, respectively
room temperature [13]. Solar dryers can be classified into (Table 1); zompantle is highly transitory and has a pro-
two kinds: active and passive. Fans are integrated into the pensity to decomposition reactions; regularly, the studied
cabin in active systems to advance the humidity drag. In species of edible flowers have short commercial longevity,
contrast, air flows naturally in passive systems because of which varies from 4 to 10 days, while the maximum total
lift forces due to density differences due to a temperature longevity varies from 6 to 14 days [4].
gradient. In direct solar dryers, part of the radiation that the According to Hamrouni [13], flowers have a high mois-
product is exposed to is absorbed by the product itself, which ture content of up to 80% (w.b). Isis [14], Pinedo et al [15],
increases the temperature and the product’s water evapora- and Lara et al [16] reported 87.02, 88.1, and 86.6% (w.b) of
tion. The humidity exchange with the material’s interior to moisture content in the zompantle; however, the moisture
the immediate environment depends on the diffusion phe- content of Zompantle ranges from 85.25 to 91.77 depend-
nomena. At the same time, mass diffusivity relies on differ- ing on the post-harvest phase. The colorimetric analysis in
ent factors such as shape, structural components, and humid- the zompantle flower showed positive values in a (45.93)
ity content. On the other hand, in indirect dryers, the air that and b (30.35) parameters (Table 1); according to the Hunter
passes through the collector is heated and transported to the system, the redness and yellowness are represented by a and
drying chamber to transfer the thermal energy to the dehy- b values on the positive side; therefore, a dominant red color
drated product. For this research, an active dryer mixed type in zompantle flower was observed. On the other hand, the
was used; during the drying process, the solar irradiance color property is measured by the Hue angle; in this case,
was attenuated by using a mesh shade not only to decrease the zompantle flower showed a hue angle of 33.32°; accord-
the drying temperature but also to evaluate the effect of ing to the literature, when the hue angle ranges from 0° to
solar and ultraviolet irradiance on physicochemical proper- 90 °, the color pass from red to yellow color in the product
ties of Zompantle during the drying process. To the best of [17] in this case, the hue is in the red zone. The chroma
our knowledge, there are no reports in the literature about value in the zompantle flower was 55.07, indicating that
solar drying of the Zompantle flower. Zompantle’s flowers the red color is pure and intense. The literature reports that
196 Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (2024) 79:194–201

Table 1  Physicochemical Analysis Mean ­values±SD Analysis Mean ­values±SD

analysis of zompantle
Moisture content (w.b) 89.03±2.20 Fiber (%) 3.71±0.1746
Water activity 0.970±0.07 L 34.36±0.79
Total soluble solids (°Brix) 3.0±0.01 a 45.93±4.42
Total Proteins (%) 4.28±0.13 b 30.35±5.88
Ash (%) 0.94±0.04 Chroma 55.07±0.28
Antioxidant activity (%) 18.8±0.02 Carbohydrates (%) 4.83±0.04
Fat (%) 0.92±0.04 Hue 33.32±1.38

±SD (Standard deviation) L (lightness), a (greenness-Redness), b (Yellowness-Blueness)

pigment is related to purity or color saturation (chroma),

which increases with increasing pigment concentration [6].
Pinedo et al [15] said a chroma value of 15.85%, a hue angle
of 45.31, and a lightness of 54.55; these results infer that the
zompantle flower was less red because of the high lightness
and low chroma. The proximal analysis in the raw zompantle
flower showed 4.287% of proteins, 0.9455 ash, 0.9237% of
fat, 3.0 °Brix of total soluble solids, the antioxidant activity
of 18.8%, carbohydrates of 4.83%, and 3.71% of fiber; the
results were close in some properties to the proximal analy-
sis of zompantle reported by Sotelo et al [18] (4.10 °Brix,
87.60% moisture, 8.97% of ash content, 13.69 of fiber, and
56.64 of carbohydrates). Lara et al[16] reported the proximal
Fig. 1  Drying kinetics of Zompantle (Erythrina americana) carried
composition of zompantle (86.6 g/100 g of moisture content, out in a mixed-type solar dryer on the day 31 January 2023
26.2 g/100 g of proteins, 2.8 g/100 g of fat, 12.7 g/100 g
of fiber, 5.8 g/100 g of ash, and 62.1 g/100 g of nitrogen-
free extract). Some properties of the zompantle flower were in direct mode, the maximum irradiance is 1050 W/m2 and
reported by Pinedo et al [15] and López et al [19]. 1112.01 W/m2, respectively.
The solar dryer receives the sun’s radiation in the hori-
zontal and vertical plane, favoring homogeneous drying
by the temperature increment. When the dryer operates by
Drying Kinetics using a mesh shade and natural convection, the solar irradi-
ance decreased to 504.22 and 490.29 W/m2, and the maxi-
The solar drying process of Zompantle flower was carried mum drying temperature was 62.28 °C (7th–8th of Febru-
out on 31 January, 1st – 2nd of February, 7th–8th of Febru- ary) (Fig. 3A) and 44 °C with forced convection (9th–10th
ary, and 9th–10th of February, 2023, using an active dryer of February) (Fig. 3B).
mixed type (Supplementary information). In all drying conditions, the maximum external ultraviolet
The test began from 9:00 a.m. to 18:00 p.m.; two days radiation ranged from 31.99 to 40.40 W/m2 depending on
were necessary to dry the Zompantle flower, except for the the ambient conditions; however, although the cover of the
experimental test on 31 January (Fig. 1). Figure 1 shows drying chamber was made of polycarbonate with ultraviolet
the drying kinetics of Zompantle; the Zompantle was dehy- protection, the ultraviolet radiation detected inside the dryer
drated in 480 min (8 h) the day 31 January, 660 min (11 h) ranged from 0.1236 to 0.2873 W/m2 depending the opera-
the day 7th–8th of February, 660 min (11 h) the day first tion mode of the dryer. Rodríguez et al [20] reported that
– 2nd of February, and 720 min (12 h) the day 9th–10th of the cover material of solar dryers influences fruit proper-
February (Supplementary information). ties due to the ultraviolet radiation and temperature; their
The difference in the drying time was affected by the results demonstrated that dried samples of strawberries in
mesh shade and the forced convection. The maximum tem- polyethylene cover favored the remaining 40.7% of antho-
peratures registered inside the dryer were 74.36 °C in direct cyanins, whereas in cellular polycarbonate where the ultra-
mode and natural convection (31st of January) (Fig. 2A) and violet radiation was zero only 15.5% of total anthocyanins
67.73 °C with forced convection (1st – 2nd of February) were retained. In this study, the optical transmittance of
(Fig. 2B). As seen from the Figures, when the dryer operates cellular polycarbonate is too low; therefore, the ultraviolet
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (2024) 79:194–201 197

Fig. 2  Temperature, solar, and ultraviolet radiation during the drying process of zompantle flower carried out the days: A 31 January, B 1st –
2nd of February

radiation inside the dryer was near zero; therefore, the effect dryers; in their results, eight to fifteen hours were needed
of ultraviolet radiation was not significant because the poly- to dry the pumpkin flower depending to the drying cover
carbonate material limited the passage of ultraviolet radia- employed. Fernandes [21] reported three days of sun dry-
tion inside the dryer. ing in Robinia pseudoacacia at 35 °C. The drying time,
In the literature, some studies have been reported about as well as the retention of the nutritional components of
the solar drying of edible flowers; García et al [6] said the the edible flower, depends on the drying technology and
drying kinetics of pumpkin flowers by using modified solar ambient conditions used to dry the sample [22].
198 Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (2024) 79:194–201

Fig. 3  Temperature, solar, and ultraviolet radiation during the drying process of zompantle flower carried out the days: A 7th–8th of February,
and B) 9th–10th of February

Moisture Content and Water Activity of Dehydrated 5.84%, depending on the operation mode of the dryer
Zompantle (Supplementary Table 1) (Table 2).
As seen from Table 2, when the dryer was operated with
The initial moisture content in the zompantle flower was the mesh shade and direct mode with forced convection, high
reduced from 89.03% to values that ranged from 3.84 to values in moisture content were obtained (5.38 and 5.84%).
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (2024) 79:194–201 199

Table 2  Physicochemical analysis of dehydrated Zompantle the other hand, the lightness increased to 36.08 in MS-NC.
Analysis Mean ­values ±standard deviation Changes in food color result from many factors, including
the modification of cellular structure, changes in pH, deg-
MS-NC DM-NC MS-FC DM-FC
radation of carotenoids, and loss of water content. Ferouali
Drying time (h) 11 8 12 11 [24] reported a decrease in color parameters (L, a, and b) by
Moisture content (%) 3.84±1.38 4.06±0.43 5.38±0.14 5.84±0.46 using indirect solar drying at 40, 50, and 60 °C in Punica
Water activity 0.27±0.01 0.26±0.02 0.25±0.01 0.33±0.05 granatum flower; the best preservation of color was at 40 °C.
Lightness 36.08±3.77 23.08±1.91 27.89±1.49 26.91±0.01 During the heating, the samples can develop degradation of
Chroma 37.58±1.84 9.87±1.60 14.77±0.72 16.01±0.01 pigments; firstly, a slightly yellow color is observed; then,
Hue 31.65±6.68 40.94±6.17 52.46±5.53 45.08±0.06 the sample turns red, and if the sample contains high total
Color difference ∆E 29.2±0.76 39.69±2.77 37.56±3.75 40.63±2.25 soluble solids, a brown color can be observed [25]. The Hue
Total proteins (%) 7.65±0.11 6.99±0.08 5.06±0.08 4.94±0.13 angle measures the property of the color, and it is expressed
Fat (%) 2.30±0.13 1.20±0.14 1.42±0.11 1.62±0.15 in degrees.
Fiber (%) 4.93 ± 0.14 3.84 ± 1.38 5.89 ± 0.10 5.56 ± 0.10 The initial hue angle was 33.32°; this value means that
Ash (%) 8.08±0.09 8.70±0.12 8.41±0.05 8.59±0.09 the zompantle flower is near to red color. The analysis of
Antioxidant activity 35.68±0.02 61.69±0.02 51.14±0.02 42.44±0.02 variance revealed that the interaction effect of operation
(%) mode and airflow significantly affected the Hue color. The
Carbohydrates (%) 78.13±0.02 79.05±0.02 79.73±0.02 79.01±0.02 Hue angle starts at the +a axis and is expressed in degrees;
Total soluble solids 36±0.01 45±0.01 33±0.01 39±0.01 0° is red, and an increase in Hue angle means that the color
(°Brix) goes to red, orange, and yellow (90°, +b). According to
MS Mesh shade, NC Natural convection, DM Direct mode, FC Table 2, the MS-NC keeps the hue angle close to the initial
Forced convection value (29.2 °). Chroma is an intensity measurement, taking
values from 0 to 60. The initial chroma value of the zompan-
tle flower was 55.07. According to the results, the sample
On the other hand, low moisture values (3.84 and 4.06%) becomes dark when the chroma values decrease; conversely,
were observed with natural convection using a mesh shade the color will be purer and more intense with high chroma.
to attenuate the solar irradiance and direct operation mode. In this case, the MS-NC keeps high saturation (37.58) with
This behavior relates to high temperatures reached inside a high hue angle (31.65). These dry conditions ensure a red
the dryer with natural convection. The analysis of variance color in the dehydrated zompantle. The variation between
(Supplementary Table 2) showed that the factors did not the raw and dried samples is known as the total color differ-
affect the zompantle’s final moisture content. Usually, food ence (∆E). As seen from Table 2, the ∆E values ranged from
with high moisture content is very prone to spoilage; in this 29.2 to 40.63. According to the descriptive levels in ∆E, a
case, the dried zompantle flower can be considered safe for range up to 12 means a noticeable difference concerning the
storage because the final moisture was reduced by less than standard [26]. Although the lowest color difference (29.2)
10% [23]. The initial water activity of the pumpkin flower was observed in MS-NC, the color change resulted appreci-
was 0.970, and it was controlled by reducing the moisture ably in this case.
content. As seen from Table 2, the final water activity ranged
from 0.25 to 0.33; this water activity means that chemical Physicochemical Properties in Dehydrated
reactions and biological processes will not take place. The Zompantle
analysis of variance revealed that drying conditions did not
affect the final water activity in the dried product. The initial protein content in the raw zompantle flower
was 4.29% (Table 1); however, all treatments observed an
Colorimetric Analysis in Dehydrated Zompantle increment in this property at the end of the drying process.
Flower Table 2 shows that protein content ranged from 4.94% to
7.65% in the dehydrated zompantle; the highest protein
The zompantle flower showed an initial lightness value of content (7.65%) was observed in MS-NC. The analysis of
34.36 (Table 1); this colorimetric property tends to decrease variance showed that the independent variables affected
to 23.08 and 27.89 (Table 2) when the operation mode was significantly this response variable. The drying conditions
DM-NC and MS-FC. The analysis of variance showed that conserved the protein content better than MS-NC. The ini-
only the operation mode significantly affected the light- tial fat content in the zompantle flower was 0.9237%, and
ness. The lightness decreases due to the product’s water this component ranged from 1.20 to 2.30%, depending on
content loss because the moisture content affects the reflec- the drying conditions. In general, flowers apport low-fat
tance color; therefore, the zompantle tends to be dark. On content, and as a result, they are considered low-calorie
200 Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (2024) 79:194–201

foods. Pinedo [15] reported the physicochemical properties 3.84% to 5.84%. The final water activity ranged from 0.25 to
in edible flowers of wild plants of Mexico as A. salmiana, A 0.33; this water activity means that chemical reactions and
vera, E. Americana, and M. geometrizans; in their investiga- biological processes will not take place. An increment in
tions, 1.58, 2.95, 1.05 g, and 1.69 g/100 g of ether extract, total soluble solids, protein content, fat, ash, and fiber better
respectively were reported. Ahluwalía [27] used different preserved the zompantle components. With the mesh shade
drying methods (vacuum and cabinet dried) in the dehy- and natural convection, keep a high saturation (37.58) with
dration of Marigold petals (Tagetes erecta); their results a high hue angle (31.65); these dry conditions ensure a red
demonstrated that some constituents, such as proteins, ash, color in the dehydrated zompantle. This study suggests using
and fiber, increased, whereas properties such as antioxidant the solar dryer in indirect mode; in this operation mode, the
activity and total phenolic content decreased significantly. Zompantle flower is not exposed to direct radiation; it is
Ahluwalía [27] reported an increment in protein content only dehydrated with the air that passes through the collec-
from 2.0 to 4.28% in vacuum drying and 3.40 in cabinet tor to the drying chamber. Dehydrated Zompantle’s flowers
drying; on the other hand, the ash content increased from could have several practical applications, for instance, as an
0.45 to 3.20% in vacuum drying and 2.02 in cabinet dry- additive not only in traditional Mexican cuisine but also for
ing; finally, the fiber content increased from 1.67 to 10.9 dishes such as pasta, creams, flours, and even formulated
and 12.50% in vacuum and cabinet drying, respectively. foods.
Some researchers have reported that the food’s components
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplemen-
increase as the water evaporates during the drying [6, 28]. tary material available at https://d​ oi.o​ rg/1​ 0.1​ 007/s​ 11130-0​ 24-0​ 1147-0.
Ferouali [24] reported that the best preservation of bioactive
molecules in Punica granatum can be obtained at 40 °C; Acknowledgments Funding for this research was from the projects
however, Fernandes [21] mentioned that high carotene con- 319188 Centro Comunitario para el Deshidratado Solar de Produc-
tos Agropecuarios de Pequeños Productores Indígenas en Hueyapan,
tent in marigold can be obtained at 60 °C. Table 2 shows an Morelos CONAHCYT and PAPIIT IN103021 solar drying of agricul-
increment in fiber, ash content, antioxidant activity, carbo- tural products and Investigadores for México CONAHCyT.
hydrates, and total soluble solids observed in the compo-
nents of zompantle. The fiber in the raw zompantle flower Author Contributions O. García-Valladares: Conceptualization, writ-
ing, review, and editing; A. Domínguez-Niño: Writing, review, and
was 3.71, and this property ranged from 3.84 to 5.89% in editing; A.M. Lucho-Gómez: Data analysis; A.G. Jiménez -Montiel:
the dehydrated flower; the antioxidant activity increased Investigation, Methodology; A.S. Rodríguez-Mendoza: Investigation,
from 18.8% to values ranging between 35.68 to 61.69%, Data analysis; B. Castillo-Téllez: Data Analysis; M. Luna-Flores:
and the total soluble solids increased from 3.0% to 33–45%, Experimentation; M. Castillo-Téllez: Formal analysis, grammar,
editing.
depending on the drying conditions. The analysis of the
results showed that the MS-NC and DM-NC preserved the Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding
components of zompantle better. agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
The supplementary information file provides mathemati-
Data Availability Data supporting the findings of this study are avail-
cal modeling of drying kinetics and energy efficiency. able from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Declarations
Conclusions
Ethics Approval Not applicable.
In this study, the drying conditions that conserved better the
Consent to Participate Informed consent was obtained from all par-
physicochemical properties of the Zompantle flower were ticipants included in the study.
by using the mesh shade to attenuate the solar irradiance
and natural convection. At these conditions, the total effi- Consent for Publication All authors approve this manuscript for pub-
lication of results.
ciency was 17.10%, the maximum drying temperature was
62.28 °C, the complete proteins were 7.65%, fat 2.30%, fiber
Conflict of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.
4.93%, ash 8.08%, and total soluble solids 36 ° Brix. How-
ever, the antioxidant activity can be increased using direct Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attri-
mode and natural convection (61.69%) and mesh shade but bution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adapta-
with forced convection (51.14%). Using the dryer with the tion, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source,
mesh shade and polycarbonate with ultraviolet protection provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes
can attenuate the amount of ultraviolet radiation inside the were made. The images or other third party material in this article are
dryer (0.1249 W/m2–0.1131 W/m2) and decrease the dry- included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated
ing temperature. The moisture content in the zompantle otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in
the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not
flower was reduced from 89.03% to values that ranged from
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (2024) 79:194–201 201

permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will of México. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 75:413–419. https://d​ oi.o​ rg/1​ 0.​
need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a 1007/​s11130-​020-​00822-2
copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. 16. Lara CE, Osorio P, Jiménez A, Bautista A (2013) Contenido
nutricional, propiedades funcionales y conservación de flores
comestibles. Rev Arch Latinoamericanos Nutrición 63. https://​
www.​alanr​evista.​org/​edici​ones/​2013/3/​art-​2/#:​~:​text=​Las%​20flo​
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