Modeling and optimization of osmotic dehydration of banana followed by air drying

The process of osmotic dehydration followed by air drying was studied, modeled and optimized for the dehydration of bananas, which are an extremely perishable fruit unable to withstand freezing and, as such, need to be dried in order to preserve the fruit for later use. The mathematical model was validated with experimental data and the simulations show how the operating conditions affect the process. Process optimization was performed to obtain the best operating conditions that would reduce the total processing time. The results show the advantage of using moderate to high sucrose concentrations (55-65 degrees Brix) for the osmotic solution, reduced pressure and the use of the osmotic treatment to reduce the total processing time of fruit drying.