PRESERVATION OF MARALS' VELVET ANTLERS USING TRADITIONAL, INFRARED AND VACUUM DRYING
Three methods for preserving velvet antlers were comparatively analyzed: traditional (including high-temperature parameters), infrared and vacuum drying at low pressure. The preservation methods were evaluated as to drying time, yield of finished product, biochemical composition and cost price of samples. It has been established that vacuum drying speeds up the process of velvet antler preservation 780 times without losses of finished product and provides the optimum biochemical composition of the samples. The biochemical analysis of finished product is indicative of a positive influence of low pressure and temperature combination as to protein, amino acids, macro and trace elements and vitamins. The cost price of 1 kg velvet antlers, when preserved by vacuum drying, is lower by 46.4 per cent as compared with the traditional method.