Optimization of osmotic dehydration in pomegranate arils by response surface method

• Main Authors: Edna, K. Rebecca Jebaseeli, Stephen, S. Elizabeth Amudhini, Wilfred, C. Bazil
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dehydration; Dipping; Mathematical analysis; Moisture effects; Optimization; Osmosis; Response surface methodology
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0118574

The optimization of the osmotic dehydration of the pomegranate arils is done by Response Surface Methodology. The optimization is calculated by varying the three variables – Temperature, Brix Concentration and Duration. The minimum and maximum levels for each variable are fixed. Thus the minimum for temperature is 49°C and maximum is fixed as 113°C. In the same way the minimum of Brix concentration of the osmotic solution is 42° and maximum is 58°C. The maximum duration for dipping in osmotic solution is at a minimum of 40 minutes and a maximum of 53 minutes. The sucrose solution is used as the osmotic solution by varying the Brix, temperature, and duration. 1:4(W/W) ratio for fruit to solution respectively is used for overall experiments. The whole pomegranate is frozen up to -18°C before dipping it in the solution to allow high permeability of the outer cell layers of pomegranate arils. The moisture of the arils is further maintained to 10% (wb) by dehydrating convectively at 60°C to make it SSP. The optimized condition parameters of the three variables Temperature, Concentration and Duration of the osmotic dehydration process are fixed as 80-90°C, 40-50° Brix, and 40-60 minutes respectively.