Applications of water blanching, surface contacting ultrasound-assisted air drying, and their combination for dehydration of white cabbage: Drying mechanism, bioactive profile, color and rehydration property.

•Cabbage drying was intensified by water blanching and contacting sonication.•Diffusion model with internal and external resistances and shrinkage was used.•Water blanching was more effective than sonication to shorten drying time.•Vitamin C was well protected by water blanching pretreatment.•No clear influence of ultrasound on bioactive profile of cabbage was observed.