The osmo-dehydro-freezing (OC) is the combined process of applying osmotic dehydration (OD) followed by freezing of a food product to improve the quality of frozen-thawed products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the application of osmotic pretreatments on the loss of liquid phase (PFL), volume (V) and color in terms of lightness (L*), hue (h°), and color change (ΔE) of papaya frozen stores samples. The osmotically dehydrated samples were treated during 30 and 90 min, reaching moisture content of 81,40±0,69 and 76,24±0,41% (wb) respectively. For this, an osmotic solution of sucrose with 65°Brix at 26.0°C+0.2 was used. The treated samples were frozen at -40°C and subsequently stored at -18°C for 10, 20, 30 and 40 days. As control osmotically untreated samples (MNT) during frozen storage were used. The results showed that in all treatments the frozen storage time significantly influenced (p<0.05) the loss of fruit quality. However, the samples treated during 90 min (DO6590) showed the least loss of quality in terms of lower PFL, V and color; while the treated samples at 30 min (DO6530) showed the greatest loss of PFL and V; however presented lower losses in color compared with MNT. According to these results a cryoprotective effect of osmofreezing technique on samples of papaya was observed, mainly for samples with DO 76.24 ± 0.41% (wb).
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