Abstract
The osmotic dehydration (OD) of tomatoes in solutions of alternative sweeteners was investigated using Response Surface Methodology (RSM), while selected desirability functions were implemented in order to define the optimum process parameters (temperature/duration of osmotic treatment, osmotic solution composition and concentration). Mass exchange, color and texture were measured during the process. Changes in color occurred rapidly at the beginning of the process, while firmness was significantly increased, indicating that OD processing led to tomato texture improvement. Color and firmness changes were adequately modeled using a polynomial model. RSM coupled with desirability functions was applied to optimize OD procedure in terms of color retention and maximum solid gain, a requirement for candied products. A maximum desirability was obtained by incorporating oligofructose into the osmotic solution, at relatively short treatment times. Results were validated and sensory analysis was conducted at the optimized conditions to assess samples’ organoleptic acceptance.
Highlights
IntroductionAmong the different processed tomato products, dehydrated tomatoes are less appreciated [2], probably due to the detrimental effect of hot air drying on the quality of final dried products
The tomato (Solanum lycorpesicum) is one of the most popular agricultural commodities in the world, mainly due to the natural occurrence of functional substances such as lycopene, beta-carotene, vitamin C, etc., leading to decreased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease [1].Among the different processed tomato products, dehydrated tomatoes are less appreciated [2], probably due to the detrimental effect of hot air drying on the quality of final dried products
90–120 min), when water loss (WL) and solid gain (SG) were faster according to the kinetic study presented in [45], an observation that agrees with findings in [56]
Summary
Among the different processed tomato products, dehydrated tomatoes are less appreciated [2], probably due to the detrimental effect of hot air drying on the quality of final dried products. Candying is an osmotic dehydration process, deriving a final product of reduced water activity and enhanced sweetness, due to the desirable immersion of selected carbohydrates. These products possess a significantly longer shelf-life and sensory attributes that are quite different from the raw material [3]. Besides being an intense and quality detrimental procedure due to the high temperatures imposed [4,5], the traditional candying process is time-consuming and cannot be standardized [6]. The increased sucrose content of the final product is another disadvantage of the conventional candying process, taking into account the current consumer requirements for a healthy and balanced diet [7]
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