Electrokinetic potential is an important property of colloidal particles and, regarding the fact that it is a well defined and easily measurable property, it is considered to be a permanent characteristic of a particular colloidal system. In fact, it is a measure of electrokinetic charge that surrounds the colloidal particle in a solution and is in direct proportion with the mobility of particles in an electric field. Gouy-Chapman-Stern-Graham's model of electric double layer was adopted and it was proven experimentally that the addition of Cu++ ions to sugar beet pectin caused a reduction in the negative electrokinetic potential proportional to the increase of Cu++ concentration. Higher Cu++ concentrations increased the proportion of cation specific adsorption (Cu++ and H+) with regard to electrostatic Coulombic forces. Consequently, there is a shift in the shear plane between the fixed and diffuse layers directed towards the diffuse layer, i.e. towards its compression and decrease in the electrokinetic potential or even charge inversion of pectin macromolecules

The paper describes a study of osmotic dehydration of red cabbage in sugar beet molasses of different concentrations (40, 60 and 80%) at 50°C and under atmospheric pressure. The best results were obtained at the sugar beet molasses of 80% as an osmotic medium. The most important kinetic parameters of the process were determined: water loss, solid uptake, weight reduction, normalized solid content and normalized moisture content. The kinetic parameters were determined after 1, 3 and 5 hours. Mass transfer coefficients were calculated using Hawkes and Flink's model and the results indicate that the diffusion of water and solids was the most intensive during the first three hours of dehydration

The osmotic dehydration process of carrot in sugar beet molasses solutions (40, 60 and 80%), at three temperatures (45, 55 and 65°C) and atmospheric pressure, was studied. The main aim was to investigate the effects of immersion time, working temperature and molasses concentration on mass transfer kinetics during osmotic dehydration. The most important kinetic parameters were determined after 20, 40, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240 and 300 min of dehydration. Diffusion of water and solute was the most intensive during the first hour of the process and the maximal effect was observed during the first 3 hours of immersion. During the next two hours of dehydration, the process stagnated, which implied that the dehydration time can be limited to 3 hours