Note. Physico-chemical characteristics of sucrose syrup used for the osmotic dehydration of apples (Golden delicious) / Nota. Características físico-químicas de jarabe de sacarosa empleado en la dehidratación osmótica de manzanas (Golden delicious)

Abstract

Compositional changes of 60 °Brix sucrose syrups employed in the osmotic dehydration of apple were evaluated. Fruit blanching favored water release from fruit and lixiviation of reducing sugars and organic acids. The fruit syrup system's equilibrium was reached at 90 min for blanched fruit and at 180 min for non-blanched fruit. The evaluation of the changes in reducing sugars concentration in the syrup-apple pureé mixtures and in the syrup used for the osmotic processes, demonstrated that there was no sucrose hydrolysis. Changes in syrup electrical conductivity were closely related to the increase of solids lixiviated from fruit to syrup, different from sugars. Blanching had beneficial ef fects on syrup-fruit purée mixtures, producing an important reduction in color change; however, this was not observed in the fruit piece system.