[Objective] To study the effects of microwave blanching treatment on POD activity and crispness in Capsicum frutescens L., and to compare the effects of microwave blanching method, normal blanching method, boiling water blanching and steam blanching. [Methods] In order to obtain the optimal condition for microwave blanching, response surface methodology was used to construct a quadratic regression model describing the effects of microwave power, microwave time and calcium lactate concentration on the POD activity in C. frutescens. [Results] The optimal technology was obtained based on central composite design： 525 W microwave power, 64.5 s microwave time, and 0.08% calcium lactate concentration. Under this condition, POD enzyme activity of C. frutescens was desactivated and crispness of C. frutescens was 68.77 N. [Conclusions] This research would provide references for the crispness protection and enzyme deactivation of C. frutescens.
