QUALITY ASPECTS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES DRIED CONVECTIVELY WITH OSMOTIC PRETREATMENT

This article presents a quality analysis of convectively dried fruits and vegetables with preliminary osmotic dehydration. Tests were carried out on banana fruit and red beetroot samples. Hypertonic solutions of fructose for the banana and those of sucrose for the red beetroot were used, each one at three different concentrations. After osmotic dewatering treatment conducted at different time intervals and after osmotic dehydration the samples were dried convectively until an equilibrium with the surroundings was attained. Osmotic dehydration and convective drying curves were determined. The values of Solids Gain (SG), Water Loss (WL) and Weight Reduction (WR) were measured and changes in the samples ’ colour and shape after convective drying with and without osmotic pretreatment were assessed