ABSTRACT
Osmotic dehydration of foods has potential advantages in fruit and vegetable processing industries. Osmotic dehydration is the process of water removal by immersion of cellular solid in a concentrated aqueous solution. The removal of water during the osmotic process is mainly by diffusion and capillary flow, whereas solute uptake or leaching is only by diffusion. Water sorption characteristics of osmotically treated apple slices shifted to the right. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that the cellular structure was preserved better with osmotic treatment. Osmotic pretreatment kept residues of the solute inside the product, influencing the taste and flavor of the product, as well as the dielectric properties. Osmotic dehydration is a less energy-intensive process than air- or vacuum-drying because it can be conducted at low temperatures. The most commonly used osmotic agents are sucrose for fruit and sodium chloride for vegetables, fish, and meat.
