Possibilidades de reutilização de soluções empregadas em desidratação osmótica

Abstract

The osmotic dehydration (OD) has been studied method to reduce the free water of fruits and vegetables; becomes in this way, a pre-treatment to drying. The OD consists in an immersion of food in the hypertonic medium, resulting in water and native solids fluxes, from food to osmotic solution; and solute incorporation from osmotic solution to the food. The principal osmotic agents used in this process are sucrose and sodium chloride. However, were already studied other alternative solutes, such as lactose, calcium chloride, fructose, maltodextrin, sorbitol, fructooligosaccharides, glycerol and isomaltulose (Palatinose ®). This process uses a solute ammount, so It is essential the reutilization of them to be a process economically and environmentally viable to industry food. Furthermore, the osmotic solution reutilization can be an attractive to use solutes of higher added value in the process to increase the functionality product. The aim of this study was making a bibliographic review about methods of Osmotic Solutions Reutilization in the process of fruits and vegetable’s Osmotic Dehydration.