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Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of hot-air convective drying, shade drying and freeze-drying on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of Centaurea ( Centaurea cyanus L.) petals, as well as on several of their physicochemical properties. All the dried samples showed different appearances as compared to fresh petals, with lower titratable acidity, lower carotenoids and hydrolysable tannins contents, and greater antioxidant activity. Of the drying methods, shade drying presented the highest values for monomeric anthocyanins, flavonoids, hydrolysable tannins, total reducing capacity and antioxidant activity. By contrast, greater losses were observed as a result of hot-air convective drying. Thus shade drying is a highly promising process that should be considered as a suitable drying method for Centaurea petals.