This study aimed to evaluate the influence of drying air temperature on drying kinetics and the physicochemical properties of dried bananas. Banana slices were dried at 40, 60, and 80°C. Drying was terminated when the samples had a moisture of 20%. Mathematical models were fitted to the moisture ratio. A generalized model of moisture was developed, to predict the moisture of samples as a function of drying time and temperature. The effective moisture diffusivity (Deff), activation energy and the drying rate (DR) were calculated. Electrical energy consumption was measured. The moisture, water activity, reducing and total sugar content, acidity, hardness, and color of the dried bananas were evaluated. The moisture decreased during drying, obtaining a mean value of 20.132%. All mathematical models fitted well to the MR data, with a determination coefficient greater than 0.95. The Midilli model was that which best fitted. The higher temperature resulted in higher Deff (3.538 × 10−9 m2 s−1) and DR, less drying time (120 min) and electrical energy consumption (4.319 kWh), higher reducing sugar content (47.51%) and hardness (28.187 N), lower acidity (1.038%), more yellow tonality (78.04°), and higher chromaticity (18.49) of the dried bananas. The optimum temperature for drying bananas was 80°C. Practical Applications Banana is a fruit widely consumed in the world. However, it is very perishable, causing great waste and financial loss. Convective drying is a simple and low‐cost method, widely used in fruit processing to produce new products and extend the shelf life of food. The dried banana is a product of good sensory acceptance and therefore drying is a good alternative for processing the banana pulp. The temperature of the drying air is one of the principal parameters of this process since it influences the drying kinetics and the physicochemical properties of the dry product. Therefore, it is important to study different drying air temperatures to determine the best drying condition for dried banana production, to optimize the dried banana process and properties.

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Sucrose is the most commonly used solute in the osmotic dehydration (OD) of fruits. However, there is increasing interest in replacing it with other alternative sugars. Polyols are carbohydrates with low glycemic, insulinemic, and cariogenic indexes. Therefore, this work aimed to study the influence of the type of osmotic agent (sucrose, erythritol, or maltitol) and vacuum application on mass transfer and physical and nutritional changes in 10‐mm edge strawberry cubes. OD was performed with or without vacuum application during the first 20 min in a total process time of 300 min. Higher solid gain, water loss and weight reduction, and lower water activity and moisture content were observed by using erythritol solution. The vacuum application strengthened this behavior. The color of the samples was affected by factors. Osmotic processes reduced the total anthocyanin content (TAC), showing that leaching is an important qualitative flow during osmotic processes. Novelty impact statement Polyols showed good potential as an osmotic agent in the osmotic dehydration of strawberries and are a good alternative to the use of sucrose. Osmotic dehydration promoted a satisfactory impregnation of polyols in the strawberry, mainly with the application of vacuum, in which the mass exchange rates were increased. However, leaching was an important flow of anthocyanin loss from strawberries to the osmotic solution.

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