Influence of pulsed vacuum osmotic dehydration on mass transfer, color and rheological properties of mango slices

The aim of this work was to study rheological and colour properties and process kinetics of mango slices subject to pulsed vacuum osmotic dehydration. The slices were immersed in osmotic sucrose solutions (45, 55 and 65 degrees Brix) at 20 or 30 degrees C. At the beginning, a sub-atmospheric pressure was applied or not to the solid-liquid system (50 or 100 mbar of pressure) for 10 minutes followed by an atmospheric pressure operation up to 5 hours. Fruit samples were evaluated after pre-determined times in terms of weight loss, water loss, solids gain, a(w), colour and rheological properties (stress and strain at rupture). The concentration and temperature increases lead to a weight and water reduction. Solid gain was favoured by lower concentration and a higher temperature and by the pulsed vacuum application. The sample softening, which is characterized by a reduction of maximum stress at rupture, and the increased stress on strain at rupture ocurred at the great solids updake conditions. The colour parameters did not change during the dehydration process.