Melon cubes of 20mm from the Cucumis melo inodorus variety, Gold Mine cultivar were osmotically dehydrated with the aim of studying the mass transfer kinetics during the process. The samples were immersed in hypertonic solution of sucrose or maltose with different concentrations (40 to 60°Brix) and the osmotic dehydration was carried out for eight hours under controlled temperature (30°C or 40°C) and agitation (120rpm). Water loss and solids gain were evaluated throughout the process as a function of temperature, osmotic agent and solution concentration. The diffusion coefficients for water and sugar were estimated using an empiric model from literature based on Fick's unsteady law of diffusion. For all treatments, water removal increased at a significant level for higher temperature and solution concentrations, but the greatest water loss rate and lowest sugar uptake was verified when using maltose solutions. The empiric model showed a good fit to experimental values with a high degree of correlation (R² > 0,92).
osmotic dehydration; melon; effective diffusivity; water loss; solids gain
