This work consisted of evaluating the effect of the type of osmotic agent, degree of stirring, and temperature and concentration of the hypertonic solution on the kinetics of osmotic dehydration of sliced pineapple. The osmotic agents used here were sucrose in solutions with concentrations of 0.40, 0.44 and 0.47 g.mL-1, and undiluted inverted sugar syrup. Osmotic dehydration was carried out using a fruit to syrup weight ratio of 1:10, and employing two levels of temperature of the solutions, 40 and 50 °C, two shaking rates, 0 and 60 min-1, and a total immersion time of 2 hours. The results showed that immersion in undiluted inverted sugar caused a greater increase in the total soluble solids content in sliced fruit. The parameters characterizing the kinetics of osmotic dehydration showed higher values in the sliced fruit dehydrated in syrup at 40 to 50 °C under shaking.
Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill; dried fruit; osmotic dehydration
