Abstract: Abstract: In order to explore optimal drying method and technological conditions, the effects of different conditions of hot air drying on sensory quality, physico-chemical characteristics and nutrition properties of apricot kernels and apricot kernel oil were studied using the wet apricot kernels after decorticating with blanching treatment as test materials. The apricot kernels with a moisture content of 4.61% were blanched in boiling water for 10 min and decorticated, and then the decorticated wet apricot kernels with a moisture content of 17.93% were dried with hot air at different temperatures (40, 60, 80, 100 and 120℃) till the moisture content of apricot kernels was decreased to about 4%-5%. After extracting the oils from cooled apricot kernels using the petroleum ether with boiling point from 60 to 90℃ under ultrasonic condition, the moisture and volatile content, sensory quality, color and smell, acid value and peroxide value, composition of fatty acids, tocopherols and phytosterols of dried apricot kernels or apricot kernel oil were determined. Results showed that the color of oil produced with decorticated apricot kernels after blanching and hot air drying treatment was lighter than that of raw apricot kernels, which was favorable to the sensory quality of apricot kernel oil. But blanching and drying treatment also led to an increase of peroxide value and a decrease of some unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid (C18:1), linoleic acid (C18:2), heptadecenoic acid (C17:1), eicosenoic acid (C20:1) and phytosterols content, which was adverse for the quality of apricot kernel oil. During hot air drying process, the drying speed was accelerated with the increase of temperature, while the apricot kernels and the oil produced from them became darker and browner, and the acid value and peroxide value increased as well. Oleic acid (C18:1) and linoleic acid (C18:2) were the dominant fatty acids in apricot kernel oils, which accounted for 76.44% and 15.50% of the total fatty acids, respectively. After blanching and hot air drying treatment, the percentage of linoleic acid decreased significantly with the increase of drying temperature, while the change of oleic acid was slight with no significant difference among different drying temperature treatments. Some saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0) showed an increase with the increase of drying temperature, resulting in an increase of percentage of total saturated fatty acids in oils produced from apricot kernels dried under different temperatures. α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol were identified from apricot kernel oil. β-tocopherol was the predominant tocopherol, accounting for 75.49% of total tocopherols in raw apricot kernel oil. The content of β-sitosterol was the highest among the 5 tocopherols and phytosterols, which accounted for 80.62% of the total content of tocopherols and phytosterols in raw apricot kernel oil. After blanching and hot air drying treatment, the content of total tocopherols increased, while the content of total phytosterols decreased slightly. With the increase of drying temperature, the contents of β-tocopherol, δ-tocopherol and total tocopherols in apricot kernel oil showed a decrease pattern, while the contents of β-sitosterol and total phytosterols showed an ascending tendency. Drying at lower temperature may be helpful for obtaining high-quality apricot kernel oil with high content of tocopherols. In conclusion, drying at high temperature above 80℃ might lead to drastic change of apricot kernel oil, so the dry process should be done under low temperature for producing high-quality apricot kernel oil.