Function

• Osmotic dehydration is a simple procedure that is made for the concentration of vegetables and fruits. Osmotic dehydration is done by replacing solid food, whether in pieces or whole, in salt or sugar aqueous solutions of high osmotic pressure. This brings upon two counter-current flows: transfer of solute from the solution into the fruit or vegetable and large water flow out of the fruit or vegetable into the solution.
  
  

Benefits

• There are a lot of positive benefits to osmotic dehydration. Some of these benefits include being able to store fruits and vegetables for a longer period of time, maintaining nutritional aspects and flavors of fruits and vegetables and also preventing microbial spoilage from occurring. Also, transport and handling of fruits and vegetables that have undergone this process are much easier.
  
  

Considerations

• In osmotic dehydration, that are several factors to consider that determine weight loss and color and flavor preservation of vegetables and fruits. One of the most important factors is modified atmosphere packaging (abbreviated as MAP) in polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Fruit that is stored in MAP display excellent microbial conditions during the storage process. Another important factor for osmotic dehydration is storage temperature.
  
  

Types

• Osmotic hydration is used in order to prevent spoilage in many different food products including kiwis, mangos, strawberries, carrots, pineapples, potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, bananas, grapefruits, oranges, lemons, guava fruits, and many other different varieties of fruits and vegetables.
  
  

Expert Insight

• So why exactly is osmotic dehydration used? In transporting fruits and vegetables, and even in storage, sometimes refrigeration is not available. By eliminating water from fruits and vegetables using osmotic dehydration, you can preserve your foods for a longer amount of time. Also, hydrated and fresh fruit is much more nutritious and delicious.