Osmotic dehydration with low caloric value solutions and determination of the sorption isotherms of green banana

• Grant number: 12/13456-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Lívia Chaguri e Carvalho
• Grantee: Mariana Santos Sanchez
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The preparation of food materials needs the application of efficient and cheap methods with ever higher quality required by the consumers. In the present work osmotic dehydration kinetics in solutions of low caloric value and the sorption isotherms will be determined. The general aim is obtain a product with high quality parameter (resistant starch amount preserved) indicating a functional food. For this purpose, osmotic dehydration will be carried out at room temperature (25 °C). The Influence ultrasonic and ultrasonic assisted osmotic dehydration pretreatments will be investigated. The evolution of physico-chemical properties during the process carried out by specific tests. Sorption isotherms determination allows knowing the equilibrium moisture content. Equilibrium moisture content is an important food preservation parameter that provides useful information to optimize drying process and dryers design. This proposal is part of wide project about the production of green banana flour with combined drying methods. The pretreatments (vacuum, ultrasound and osmotic dehydration) can reduce significantly the process drying time. Consequently, increase process energy efficiency and improve final product quality. Project resources required were provided by FAPESP (project number 2011/23599-0).