Kinetic of osmotic dehydration of avocado (Persea americana), and color optimization using the response surface methodology

The response surface methodology is used to evaluate the effect of temperature, pressure, number of vacuum pulse and syrup/fruit ratio, over color parameters such as luminosity, chromatic parameters, and color difference (L∗, a∗, b∗ y dE∗), humidity and solid soluble contain, texture (hardness), acidity and water activity, in osmotic dehydration of avocado (Persea americana) var. Hass. A solution of maltodextrin (50%), NaCl (10%), citric acid (1.5%) and ascorbic acid (1.5%), during 4 h was employed. The results show that it is possible to reduce color damage and to improve others characteristic of avocado with osmotic dehydration to 7.5 °C and 850 mBar. Under these conditions the kinetic behavior in osmotic dehydration of avocado was determined, using two empirical equations and a phenomenological model.