Antlers are the bony growths found on the heads of animals such as spotted deer and red deer. These structures grow periodically, ossify, and naturally shed each year. They are typically harvested when they are still in the velvet stage, before full mineralization occurs. Fresh antlers are rich in proteins and moisture, and due to their high water content, they must be processed quickly—usually during midsummer—to prevent spoilage, which could turn a valuable resource into waste.
The Chinese were among the first to use antlers medicinally and also pioneered the techniques for processing velvet. Traditional methods like fire-cooking, baking, and air-drying have been used for nearly a century. With scientific advancements, modern techniques such as freeze-drying and fresh-keeping have emerged, but most innovations are based on traditional foundations. These new methods differ significantly in terms of efficiency and preservation of quality.
The primary goal of velvet processing is dehydration, making it easier to store, transport, and use. While some believe that antisepsis is another purpose, this is not the main objective. The key is to preserve the antler’s natural shape, color (known as "flower arrangement"), and overall integrity, which directly affect its market value.
One of the essential steps in processing is steaming, which helps break down protein chains, increase permeability, and facilitate water removal. This process starts with short bursts of 2–1 minutes, gradually reducing over time. Baking follows as a further dehydration step, but care must be taken to avoid overheating, which can cause the velvet to blister. Temperatures should stay below 80°C, and baking times vary depending on the size and thickness of the antler, usually lasting 6 to 2 hours.
Air drying is the final natural drying stage after boiling and baking. Moisture is removed through evaporation, influenced by factors like surface area, temperature, airflow, and humidity. To speed up the process, electric fans are often used. However, drying is a slow process, taking about a month, as water moves from the inside to the outside gradually.
To accelerate drying, some experiments have tested direct baking without boiling or even freezing before baking. Others have tried microwave or high-frequency drying, all showing promising results. Vacuum sublimation drying is another advanced method that preserves the antler’s structure and active ingredients, though it is costly and energy-intensive, limiting its widespread use.
Other preservation methods, such as frozen storage and vacuum packaging, are being explored, but consumer acceptance remains mixed. Lack of standardized pre-processing and post-processing studies, along with limited pharmacological and clinical research, means these techniques are still under evaluation.
In China, high-pressure electric field drying has shown potential. It uses polarized water molecules without heat, preserving nutrients and offering advantages like sterilization, efficiency, and low cost. Though applied in other industries, it has yet to be widely adopted in deer product processing.
Currently, many state-owned deer enterprises are shifting, while private companies are emerging rapidly. However, there is no strong centralized management system, and processing remains largely manual, with inconsistent standards and poor quality control. This hinders the export of Chinese pilose antler products and weakens competitiveness in the global market.
Internationally, different countries set their own standards: South Korea focuses on ash content, New Zealand on antler size, and China on appearance. Standardization and industrialization are crucial for China to build strong brands and compete globally. Strengthening macro-control is an important task for both the government and the industry.
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