Abstract:To elucidate the effects of synergistic treatment with L-cysteine and calcium chloride on the quality of vacuum freeze-dried apple chips，Fuji apples were used as raw material. The color，nutritional components，texture，antioxidant capacity，water content，rehydration ratio，and aromatic components of the apple chips were evaluated after treatment. The results showed that，compared with the control，the synergistic treatment significantly improved the color of apple chips：the L*value increased by 4.8%，while a*and b*values decreased by 201.0% and 29.8%，respectively，effectively inhibiting browning. The sensory score increased by 26.7%，and the titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content increased by 0.7% and 40.0%，respectively. The hardness and crispness of the treated chips were 44.6% and 50.8% higher than those of the control，respectively. The treatment also helped retain moisture，reduced water mobility，better preserved the cellular structure，and increased the rehydration ratio by 20.4%. Moreover，the total phenolic content increased by 101.0%，with chlorogenic acid and epicatechin increasing by 66.0% and 83.8%，respectively. The DPPH and ABTS+radical scavenging activities increased by 20.6% and 5.0%，respectively. Additionally，the content of aromatic compounds was also enhanced after the synergistic treatment.