Osmotic Dehydration of Pineapple Stems in Hypertonic Sucrose Solutions

Abstract

The present study provides the evaluation in the influence of the variables: temperature (T), concentration of the osmotic solution (C) and ratio of fruit and osmotic solution (F:OS) during the osmotic dehydration of slices of pineapple stem variety Perola, on the responses: water loss (WL), mass loss (ML), gain of solids (GS) and ratio of gain of solids and water loss (GS/WL). The centesimal composition was determined both in the raw material and in the dehydrated product. To optmize the process, the studied factors were: temperature (T), with factorial points −1 equal to 30˚C and +1 equal to 50˚C; concentration of sucrose solution (C), with factorial points −1 equal to 40 g•100 g −1 and +1 equal to 60 g•100 g −1 and ratio of fruit and osmotic dehydration solution (F:OS), with factorial points −1 and +1 equal to 1:20 and 3:20, respectively. In all essays, the dehydration time was 4 hours. The essays showed that F:OS was not significant in any responses; the models adopted were predictive and fitted for WL and ML, and reasonable for GS and GS/WL. The temperature was the most significant variable in the process; the optimized values were: T= 50˚C, C = 40 g 100 g −1 e F:OS = 3:20. The product needs a complementary drying to adapt itself to the legislation demands.

Effect of Hormone and Ripening Agent on Mass Transfer of Pineapple

“…At high ratio of fruit to solution, viscous nature and dilution effect occur hence the mass transfer coefficient may be lower. dos Santos Filho et al [20] determined that mass transfer coefficient for 3:20 (F:OS) is optimum than 1:20…”

“…At high ratio of fruit to solution, viscous nature and dilution effect occur hence the mass transfer coefficient may be lower. dos Santos Falcão [20] determined that mass transfer coefficient for 3:20 (F:OS) is optimum than 1:20 (F:OS) for osmotic dehydration of pineapple stems in hypertonic sucrose solutions. Uddin and Islam [21] reported that 1:5 (F:OS) ratio is optimum for development of shelf stable pineapple product by osmotic dehydration.…”