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Effect of the centrifugal force on

osmotic dehydration of potatoes and
apples
Hugo Garcia

Food Research International

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 Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 195-199, 1996
Food Research International,
Copyright 0 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
on behalf of the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology
0963-9969(96)00033-X Printed in Great Britain
bLSEVIER zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA 0963-9969/96 $15.00 + .OO

Effect of the centrifugal force on osmotic

dehydration of potatoes and apples’

Ebner Azuara,=* Hugo S. Garciab & Cesar I. Beristain”

‘Institute de Ciencias Bcisicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Apdo. Postal 57.5, Xalapa Ver., Mhxico

hDepatamento de Ing. Quimica y Bioquitnica. Institute Tecnoldgico de Veracruz, Apdo. Postal 1420, Veracruz Ver., MPxico

Cylindrical slices (2 cm diameter, 0.5 cm thickness) of potatoes and apples were

immersed in three different osmotic solutions: 70% (w/w) sucrose, 30% (w/w)
NaCl, and 15% (w/w) NaCl and 450/o (w/ w) sucrose. Osmotic solutions and food
samples were placed into stainless steel containers and centrifuged at 64 x g using
a tabletop centrifuge at 30°C to perform osmotic dehydration. Results obtained
showed that solids uptake by the food samples was always lower when centrifugal
force was applied to the system. Under centrifugal force application, and with the
osmotic solution containing both NaCl and sucrose, potato slices lost ca. 70% of
their original moisture after 6 h of osmodehydration, whereas only 2% of the
solutes were taken by the samples. In contrast, osmotic dehydration of static
samples for the same time removed ca. 65% of the moisture, but 15% of their
original weight was gained by absorption of solids from the osmotic solution. For
apple slices, similar results were obtained: 83% water lost, and 6% solids gained
for the dynamic system, compared with 75 and 12% respectively, for the static
system. Copyright 0 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of the
Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology

Keyword.7: drying, centrifugal force.

INTRODUCTION The two solutes used more often to effect osmotic

A method used to prepare intermediate moisture or
minimally processed foods is osmotic dehydration
(Favetto et al., 1981; Guilbert, 1987). In this process, a
foodstuff is immersed into a highly concentrated solu-
tion to obtain a final product with lower water activity
(a,). The osmotic dehydration process alone usually
does not decrease a, enough to render stable food pro-
ducts. To achieve stability, additional processing, such
as pasteurization, freezing, addition of antimicrobials or
further dehydration is necessary (Vial et al., 1991;
Raoult-Wack, 1994).
’ Paper presented at the ISOPOW International Symposium
on the Properties of Water, Food Preservation by Moisture
Control. Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, June 19-24, 1994.
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed.
dehydration of fruits are sucrose and glucose (Ponting
et al., 1966; Farkas & Lazar, 1969; Dalla Rosa et al.,
1982; Conway et al., 1983; Magee et al., 1983; Lerici et
al., 1985; Beristain et al., 1990; Heng et al., 1990; Vial
et al., 1991; Adambounou et al., 1994) whereas salt
has been used for vegetables (Islam & Flink, 1982;
Adambounou et al., 1983; Lenart & Flink, 1984a,b;
Biswal & LeMaguer, 1989; Biswal et al., 1991). Lenart
& Flink (19846) used mixtures of salt and sucrose for
osmotic dehydration of potatoes, and achieved a lower
a, than when sucrose was used alone. However, with
the salt-sucrose mixtures, the uptake of solids from the
osmotic solution was high. Biswal & Bozorgmehr (1992)
dehydrated apple rings using salt-sugar mixtures and
reported similar results. Other authors (Hawkes &
Flink, 1978; Adambounou et al., 1983; Lerici et al.,
aguer, 1992; Yang & Le Maguer, 1992) published the
use of salt as the osmotic solute to dehydrate fruits and

195
196 E. Azuara, H. S. Garcia, C. I. Beristain

vegetables. Good drying rates were measured, but the

authors also found adverse effects on the product taste
due to a high solids uptake. Torreggiani (1993) sug-
gested that selective incorporation of solutes without
affecting product integrity could be achieved. Stainless/
The objective of the present research was to evaluate steel container
-‘-Osmotic solution
the use of centrifugal force on the transfer of sucrose,
salt and water, during the osmotic dehydration of Food slice 1
potato and apple slices, in order to minimize the solids
H
gain, while maximizing water loss.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Raw materials

Potatoes (cv Rosita) and apples (cv Golden) were pur-

chased at the local market. The potatoes and apples
were washed, peeled and cut into circular disks of 2 cm
diameter and 0.5 cm thickness. Immediately after
cutting, the apple disks were dipped into a solution
containing 2% (w/w) ascorbic acid, and the potato disks
into a 0.45% (w/w) solution of sodium bisulfite.
Drying
Osmotic dehydration was carried out using three differ-
ent solutions: (a) 70% (w/w) sucrose; (b) 30% (w/w)
NaCl and (c) 45% (w/w) sucrose and 15% (w/w) NaCl.
All runs were made at 3o”C, using enough osmotic
solution to make a ratio solution: food material in
excess of 2O:l. Experiments were run in duplicate in
either a static or dynamic system. In the static system,
samples were placed into stainless steel cylinders 8 cm in
diameter and 8 cm high. The cylinders were immersed
into a temperature-controlled water bath. In the
dynamic system, the same type of stainless steel
cylinders was used, but they were mounted on the rotor
of a bench top centrifuge (IEC, Chemical Centrifuge,
Needham Hts., Mass.). The centrifuge was contained
inside a chamber-type incubator set at 30°C. During
the osmotic dehydration, the centrifuge speed was set
at 64 x g and samples were withdrawn with the
centrifuge in operation. A schematic diagram is pre-
sented in Figure 1.
Analyses
The moisture content was determined by vacuum oven
for 24 h at 70°C (AOAC, 1984). Water activity was
measured using a DECAGON@ hygrometer model
CX-2 (Decagon Devices, Inc., Pullman, WA) at 30°C.
Fractions of water loss and solids gain were estimated
using the equations reported by Beristain et al. (1990):
Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the dynamic system.
SG M,(C,,-l)-M,(Cr-1)
-= (2)
MO MO
where WL is the water lost by the foodstuff at time t,
SG is the weight of solids gained by the foodstuff at
time t, M, is the initial weight of foodstuff at time 0,
M, is the weight of the foodstuff at time t, Co is the
initial moisture content of the foodstuff, Cf is the final
moisture at time t, both in wet basis.
The kinetics of water loss and solids gain were fit to
the model of Azuara et al. (1992):
wL = Sl tWL
. _ (3)
1 +&It
SG=S2tSC,
\
(4)
1 -l-&t
where WL, is the amount of water lost when equili-
brium is reached, SG, is the amount of solids gained at
equilibrium, S1 is a constant related to the rate of water
loss, S, is a constant related to the rate of solids intake,
and t is time.
The goodness of fit of the models was estimated by
calculating the percentage of the difference between
experimental and predicted values, also known as the
mean relative deviation modulus, and which is defined
by the following equation (Lomauro et al., 1985):
(5)

WL M,C, - M,Cf where mi is the experimental value, m, is the predicted

(1) value, and N is the number of observations.
M,= MO
 Effect of centrifugal force on potatoes and apples 197

Table 1. Estimated parameters of equations (3) and (4) for potato and apple slices dehydrated in a static system

Osmotic Foodstuff SI wL‘2 SGm

solutions (min-‘) W) r (CL) (min-‘) s2

(%I r (&
Sucrose-NaC1 Potato 0.0465 67.31 0.997 2.38 0.2328 12.83 0.992 15.17
Apple 0.0208 82.92 0.996 3.51 0.0305 12.40 0.991 5.72
Sucrose Potato 0.0282 69.50 0.990 4.17 0.0485 6.61 0.985 15.37
Apple 0.0130 70.63 0.989 6.68 0.2086 7.93 0.978 5.75
NaCI Potato 0.2291 39.67 0.994 3.07 0.0722 22.39 0.974 6.31
Apple 0.0664 50.36 0.992 4.83 zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
0.0707 19.73 0.97 I 8.67

WL,, amount of water lost when equilibrium is reached; SG,, amount of solids gained at equilibrium; SI, constant related to the
rate of water loss; S2, constant related to the rate of solids intake: P, mean relative deviation modulus; r, correlation coefficient. zyxwvutsrqpo

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION content was used to investigate the effectiveness of

The kinetics of water loss and solids gain using the static
system gave good fits with equations (3) and (4). Esti-
mated parameters for both equations and P values are
presented in Table 1. In contrast, the experimental data
obtained with the dynamic system could not be fit to the
equations, because the values for P were greater than
IO. Figure 2 shows the kinetics of water loss (WL) and
solids gain (SG) during osmotic dehydration of potato
disks in the static system. The lines represent the data
generated by the fits of equations (3) and (4). After
360 min, water loss obtained with the osmotic solutions
made of sucrose and sucrose/NaCl were ca. 65%,
whereas solids gain was 7% for sucrose and 15% for
sucrose/NaCl solutions. The solution containing NaCl
alone extracted 40% of the moisture, but 21% of salt
diffused into the product after 240 min. The smaller
molecular weight of the salt made it easier to dissociate
and diffuse in aqueous solutions than the sucrose.
Although the 30% (w/w) NaCl solution is not the opti-
mum concentration for osmotic dehydration of fruits
and vegetables (Islam & Flink, 1982; Hawkes & Flink,
1978; Yang & Le Maguer, 1992), this rather high salt
the centrifugal force to reduce the solids uptake by the
foodstuff, these solids should diffuse easily through
the cell membrane. The best results were obtained using
solutions containing sucrose and NaCl, given the fact
that lower concentrations of the mixed solutes extracted
as much water as highly concentrated sucrose solutions.
Similar results were reported by other authors (Islam &
Flink, 1982; Lenart & Flink, 1984b; Lerici et al., 1985;
Biswal & Bozorgmehr, 1992).
Comparing results for potato disks using static
(Fig. 2) with dynamic systems (Fig. 3), water loss was
smaller in the dynamic than in the static systems, at
short drying time. As time passed the difference was
reduced. After 360 min, water losses were equivalent or
favored the dynamic system. Figure 3 also shows that
solids gain decreased about 50% for the sucrose solu-
tions, 67% for the NaCl solution, and 86% for the
sucrose/NaCl solution. The centrifugal force apparently
retarded solids uptake by the foodstuff, but did not
interfere with the dehydration process. The lower rates
of water removal during the first stages of the process in
the dynamic system could be explained by the formation
of gradients of suspended solids. zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSR

+ ’ i
+~-,__+- - - ,__~~~~_ t---t i

I
1

(Water loss) SG (Solids gain) t

WL zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
WL (water toss) SG (Solids gan)
ff 15% NaCI- 45% S + 15% N.&I- 45% S
+- 15% N&I- 45% S - X- .159/o NaCI- 45% S
--D- 70469 ‘70969
08
+ 30% N&l - 3Wo NaCl
06 t 4 7O%S --b-.70%5 t
-0 30% NaCl - d- .30% N&l

0 BC 160 240 320 400 0 50 100 150 m 250 300 350 4cil

TIME (MN) TIME (MN)

Fig. 2. Water loss and solids gain in potato (static system). Fig. 3. Water loss and solids gain in potato (dynamic system).
NaCI, sodium chloride; S, sucrose. Experiments were run in NaCI, sodium chloride; S, sucrose. Experiments were run in
duplicate. duplicate.
198 E. Azuara, H. S. Garcia, C. I. Beristain zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGF

1 0.9
0

5 0.65

4
E 0.6
P
0.75

0.7 i: . 0 i
f .__.~.o__.__...._..~.~-~
t I
0 , D' 1 1 1 I
0.65 I I I 5
0 60 zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
160 240 320 400
TIME (MN) 20 so 40 Yl 60 70 So 90

Fig. 4. Water loss and solids gain in apple (static system).
NaCl, sodium chloride; S, sucrose. Experiments were run in
duplicate.
w (x)
Fig. 6. Variation of the water activity and the quality factor as
a function of the water loss in apple (15% (w/w) NaCl-45%
(w/w) sucrose). Experiments were run in duplicate.

Figure 4 depicts the osmotic dehydration of apple in the static system. This can be observed in Figure 6,
disks in a static system. Highest water losses were where the a, of the apple slices dried with the mixed
obtained when a mixture of sucrose-NaCl was used as sucrose-NaCl solution in the static system is lower than
the osmotic solution, due to an apparent synergistic that determined with the dynamic system both mea-
effect of the solutes. Again, the solids uptake by the sured after the same amount of water (WL) was extracted.
foodstuff was highest for the NaCl solution alone. This can be attributed to higher penetration of solids
When static and dynamic systems were analyzed (Figs 4 into the apple slices, which helps in lowering their a,.
and 5) the results were comparable with those obtained However when approximately 80% of the water of
for potato disks. When equilibrium was reached, water the product was extracted using the dynamic system, the
losses in the dynamic system were always similar or a, of the apple slices was slightly lower (0.68) than
higher than those observed for the static system. With for the static system with a WL = 75% (0.73); even when
respect to solids gained, samples dehydrated with the the solids gain (SG) is 50% smaller in the dynamic
dynamic systems had 50% or less solids gained com- system than in the static system. This fact represents an
pared with those for osmotic solutions containing NaCl important advantage of the dynamic system, since it
alone, 75% for sucrose solutions, and 50% for the suggests the possibility of preparing food products with
mixed osmotic solutions. If less solids uptake is wanted, lower a, and lower solids content. The low solids
more water needs to be removed from the sample in the uptake could allow the use of good osmotic drying
dynamic system in order to reach the same level of a, as solutes, such as NaCl, which is used to effect of osmotic
dehydration in vegetables. An informal evaluation indi-
cated that products obtained using the dynamic system
I I 1 1 I 1 1
had better sensory attributes than products prepared
1 , I , 1
wL(walorbss) sG(sdiigain) with the static system. In Figure 6, the parameter P,
-15%NaCl-45%S -J(--15%Nacb45%S
(performance ratio) = WL/SG as proposed by Camirand
+7o%s -+-7O%s
0.8 -*-SO%NaCl P -- et al. (1992) is plotted. This parameter is used to evalu-
ate the quality of a food product which was subjected to
2 0.6 osmotic dehydration. The P, is much higher for apple
::
slices dehydrated by the dynamic system, than for the
B static system.
Is 0.4
Figure 7 depicts the dependence of a, and P, with
respect to WL for potato disks. The samples were
0.2
dehydrated using the sucrose-NaCl mixture in both the
static and dynamic systems. Water activity of potato
0 disks treated with the static systems was always lower
0 50 loo 150 200 250 SO0 350 400 than the dynamic system, due to a higher proportion of
TIME(MIN) solutes taken by the samples. Even though the dynamic
Fig. 5. Water loss and solids gain in apple (dynamic system).
system produced samples with a,., higher than the
NaCl, sodium chloride; S, sucrose. Experiments were run in corresponding static system, the usefulness parameter P,
duplicate. was considerably higher for the former.
 Effect of centrifugal force on potatoes and apples
1 Camirand, W., Krochta, J. M., Pavlath, A. E., Wong, D. &
0.95
20 30 40 50 60 70 80
WL WI
Fig. 7. Variation of the water activity and the quality factor as
a function of the water loss in potato (15% (w/w) NaCl45%
(w/w) sucrose). Experiments were run in duplicate.
CONCLUSIONS
Application of centrifugal force to food products
undergoing osmotic dehydration limited the intake of
solids. When the sucrose-NaCl solution was used in a
dynamic system, water losses were the highest and solids
uptake the lowest. Further work is needed to investigate
the effect of variables such as rotational speed, tem-
perature, osmotic solution concentration, type of solute
or mixtures, and sample geometry.
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