Eggplants osmodehydrated and impregnated with Ca and Zn

Abstract

The aubergine is a fruit and vegetable with a high water content and with bioactive properties derived from its phenolic compounds. The objective of the work was osmotically dehydrated purple variety eggplant slices. Osmotic solutions were prepared with 1% m/m citric acid, 5% m/m ascorbic acid, 5% m/m calcium chloride, and 0.5% m/m zinc acetate and sucrose as solutes. Only the sucrose concentration was varied (10% m/m, 20% m/m, 30% m/m and 40% m/m). The solution/aubergine ratio was 4:1. The samples were placed in a thermostatted orbital shaker at 40 °C and 120±5 rpm. During the process, the humidity of eggplant samples was determined at different times and later the Henderson-Pabis mathematical model was applied. The parameters according to the model applied in increasing order of sucrose concentration were for A=1.30; 2,014; 1.57; 2.50 and for K= 0.679; 0.895; 0.754; 1,124.