Optimization of coconut osmotic drying preceded by microwave treatment by Response Surface Methodology

Otimização da desidratação osmótica de coco precedida de tratamento com microondas empregando Metodologia de Superfície de Resposta

Abstract

Osmotic dehydration is an intermediate stage in drying processes in which water is extracted using a hypertonic solution, but it is a slow process, especially in hard foods such as coconut. Microwaves use an electromagnetic field which can raise the temperature in the depth of samples as a result of friction, which facilitates mass transfer due to molecular expansion and increased porosity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a microwave pre-treatment on the quality of the osmotic drying of coconut and optimize the whole process by response surface methodology (RSM). The independent variables were the microwave power (X₁), the sugar solution concentration (X₂) and the duration of the process (X₃.). The responses (dependent variables) were the moisture content difference (MD), weight reduction (WR), water loss (WL) and solids gain (SG). The results showed that the linear terms of X₂and X₃ had significant effects on all the dependent variables but the linear term of X₁ only significantly affected WL, SG and WR (p< 0.05). The interaction of X₁X₂ significantly affected WL and WR and the interaction of X₂X₃ significantly affected all the dependent variables, but the interaction of X₁X₃ only significantly affected MD (p < 0.05). On the other hand, X₂² significantly affected SG and WR (p < 0.05). The two-factor model (2FI) was able to express the changes in MD and WL, but only the quadratic model adequately fitted SG and WR, the determination coefficients being 0.98, 0.99, 0.99 and 0.99 respectively. Finally, the optimized condition was obtained with a power of 900 watts, concentration of 47.80% and duration of 5 hours.

Keywords:
RSM; Weight reduction; Water loss; Solids gain; Moisture content difference