EVALUATION OF MASS TRANSFER KINETICS IN KIWIFRUIT SLICES DURING OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION UNDER HIGH PRESSURE TREATMENTS

It is well known as processing of kiwifruit is often resulting in a reduction of quality and of typical characteristics of this peculiar fruit.
The maintenance of the green color is one of the most important goals in keeping the quality of the log-stable kiwifruit products.

Aim of this research work was to evaluate the influence of high pressure treatments (HPT) on mass transfer and product quality of kiwifruit slices during osmotic concentration.

Kiwifruit slices ware subjected to treatments of osmotic concentration (or dewatering-impregnation) placing them in hypertonic solutions (at two different concentrations) during HPT at 100, 300 and 500 Mpa.
At defined time intervals the samples were analyzed to establish the kinetics of the mass transfers (loss of water, uptake of solute) and were stored to evaluate color maintenance, texture profile and microbial shelf-life during storage.

The mass transfers during “osmotic dehydration” under high pressure were found to be faster than at atmospheric pressure.
The use of HPT led to products where the risk of microbial spoilage was reduced, even if differences in texture and color were determined.

III International Symposium on Kiwifruit

M. Dalla Rosa, F. Bressa, D. Mastrocola, G. Carpi

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.444.101