A Comparative Study of the Physico-Chemical Characteristics of the Ready-to Eat Coconut Based Snack

Abstract

Coconut slices (thickness 0.8 ± 0.1 mm) were osmotically dehydrated (0 min to 720 min) using filtrates of functional ingredients such as beet root, carrot, ginger and mint as impregnating solutions. During the osmotic process, the diffusion of minerals, organic acids, phenolics and vitamins between coconut slices and osmotic medium might have contributed various physico-chemical changes in acidity, TSS (Total soluble solids) of the osmotic medium and rehydration characteristics of the snack. The kinetics of osmotic dehydration process revealed that significant changes in mass transfer parameters WR (Weight reduction), SG (Solid gain) and WL (Water loss) observed during 450th minutes of the process, irrespective of the functional filtrates and dehydration methods used (hot-air oven at temperature 45-60°C for about 6-7 hours and freeze drying at temperature (-40 to 30°C) for a duration of 14-16 hours). Texture analysis revealed that osmotic dehydration induced modifications in cell structure of the coconut based snack with respect to the drying methods and the use of sugar as osmotic infusions.