Abstract

Processing times required to achieve a target level of soluble solids were determined in apple pieces during sequential osmotic dehydrations carried out with reused sucrose syrup, in which new loads of fruits were charged in each turn. Effective diffusivities for water and sucrose in apple pieces were experimentally determined as a function of syrup soluble solids. A computer program was written to predict soluble solids change both in apple pieces and in syrup during the sequential osmotic dehydration process. Experimental data on the change of soluble solids for apples and syrup for 10 batches arranged in 2 sets of 5 were obtained. A good agreement between observed and predicted values of soluble solids in both fruit and the syrup was obtained, with root mean square values ranging from 1.3% to 4.6%.