RESPONSE SURFACE ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION OF OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION OF Musa acuminata SLICES

Abstract

The mass transfer characters were quantitatively investigated during osmotic dehydration of Musa acuminata slices using response surface methodology with sugar concentration of 30-50 oBrix, temperature of 30-50℃, osmotic dehydration time of 30-180 minutes and sample to solution ratio of 1:5-1:15 g/ml as the independent process variables. Quadratic regression equations were obtained to describe the effects of independent process variables on the weight reduction (WR), solid gain (SG) and water loss (WL). From the results, it was found that, all the independent variables had significant effect on mass transfer characteristics during osmotic dehydration of banana slices. The optimal condition for osmotic dehydration of M.acuminata slices was found to be: osmotic solution concentration of 43oBrix, sample to solution ratio of 1:10 g/ml, osmotic solution temperature of 50℃ and osmotic dehydration time of 164 minutes respectively.