| Resumo: | Osmotic dehydration of chestnut slices in sucrose was optimized for the first time by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Experiments were planned according to a three-factor central composite design (α=1.68), studying the in uence of sucrose concentration, temperature and time, on the following parameters: volume ratio, water activity, color variation, weight reduction, solids gain, water loss and normalized moisture content, as well as total moisture, ash and fat contents. The experimental data was adequately fitted into second-order polynomial models with coeffcients of determination (R2) from 0.716 to 0.976, adjusted-R2values from 0.460 to 0.954, and non-significant lacks of fit. The optimal osmotic dehydration process conditions for maximum water loss and minimum solids gain and color variation were determined by the \Response Optimizer" option: 83% sucrose concentration, 20 °C and 9.2 hours. Thus, the best operational conditions corresponded to high sugar concentration and low temperature, improving energy saving and decreasing the process costs.
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