Osmotic dehydration of catfish (Hypophthalmus edentatus) as a pretreatment, using ternary solutions.

A central composite rotatable design was used to evaluate the osmotic dehydration process of catfish (Hypophthalmus edentatusi using three factors: temperature (23- 5rC), NaCI concentration (11.3 - 14.7% w/w) in aqueous solutions containing 30% sucrose and immersion times from (4-14h). Five lcvels of each variable were chosen for ihe study. inc1uding the center point and two axial points. Seventeen combinations were performed, inc1uding three replications of the center point. The best processing conditions were determined using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to maximize water loss. minimize solids gain and TBA in lhe use of osmotic dehydration as a pretreatment for drying. It was observed that the concentration linear term and cross products: temperature - concentration and concentration - immersion time were not significant with respect to maximizing water loss and minimizing solids gain, but ali the vuriablcs ano eruss products wcrc significant for TBA. The results showed that the variahlcs had a siguificant influcncc on the rcsponses at a confidcncc interval of 95