Significant Mass Transfer Factors in Optimizing Drying of Kent Mango Strips by Osmotic Dehydration

Authors

Alcalá Adrianzén, Miguel Enrique

Evangelista Benites, Guillermo David

Távara Aponte, Segundo Arístides

Abstract

In this work the objective was to determine the level of optimization of the drying of Kent mango strips by osmotic dehydration using the significant mass transfer factors. The response variables are water loss, solids gain and mass loss. The process factors such as syrup concentration, temperature, process time, mango strip thickness, and syrup/mango mass ratio were first evaluated with the definitive screening design of experiments. The results of the stepwise analysis for the multiple linear regression model identified syrup concentration and mango strip thickness as significant factors, which were evaluated with the response surface (central composite) design of experiments. From the Optimization analysis, the Brix levels determined for the syrup Brix was 60 degrees and the thickness of the Kent mango strips was 4 mm. While the optimum point was determined, the identification of the optimum region of the process was more important.