Osmotic dehydration kinetics of carrot cubes in sodium chloride solution

Osmotic dehydration kinetics of carrot cubes in sodium chloride solution having concentrations 5%, 10% and 15% (w/v), solution temperature 35, 45 and 55 °C, sample to solution ratio (STSR) 1:4, 1:5 and 1:6 were studied up to 240 min duration. During the experimentation, effect of solution temperature and process duration was significant and that of solution concentration and STSR were non-significant on water loss. Among the different models applied (Penetration model, Magee Model, and Azuara model), Azuara model best fitted to the experimental data for water loss and solute gain during osmotic dehydration. Effective diffusivities of water and solute were calculated by using the analytical solution of Fick's unsteady state law of diffusion by iterative technique with a computer program. For the above conditions, the effective diffusivity of water was found to be in the range between 2.6323 x 10⁻⁹ and 6.2397 x 10⁻⁹ m²/s and that of solute between 3.1522 x 10⁻⁹ and 4.6400 x 10⁻⁹ m²/s.