Upon seeing the chili dryer, I wondered how such a large machine could dry chili peppers. So, we went inside to take a look. It turns out that chili peppers typically burst their seeds. Those that don't are related to the drying process. If the temperature is kept low and the moisture removal is slow, the percentage of seeds bursting will decrease, and the drying time will increase accordingly. Conversely, if a higher temperature is desired and moisture removal is fast, there will be more seed bursting, and the drying time will be relatively shortened. Therefore, it's essential to communicate thoroughly with the experts based on your specific needs to facilitate the design of the scheme and process.

The drying process of Sichuan peppercorns involves artificial roasting. Specifically, after harvesting, the peppercorns are loaded into drying screens and sent to the drying room for roasting. The thickness of the screens should be between 3-4 cm. Begin by controlling the room temperature to 50-60 degrees Celsius, then increase it to around 80 degrees after 2-2.5 hours, and continue roasting for 8-10 more hours. The process is complete when the moisture content of the peppercorns is less than 10%. During roasting, pay attention to moisture removal and extend the intervals between screen flipping. After drying, remove the seeds and twigs from the screens, and pack the peppercorns according to standards to form the finished product. Store the packaged peppercorns in a cool, dry place.