Disclosed is a method for preserving a plant material, the method comprising: (a) applying a composition comprising a microwave attractant to the plant material； and then (b) drying the plant material while exposing the plant material to microwave energy, wherein the microwave energy heats the plant material to a temperature above 80 degrees for at least about 30 minutes, which is effective to inactivate the majority of any browning enzymes in the plant material, and wherein the microwave attractant results in the heating of the plant to material occurring at a rate whereby browning of the plant material by the browning enzymes during heating is substantially prevented.
