DRYING BEHAVIOR AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF OSMOTICALLY DEHYDRATED CARROTS (Daucus carrota L.)

This study was conducted to determine the drying behavior and sensorial qualities of osmotically dehydrated carrots. Each sample was subjected to three different temperatures(40±2°C,50±2°C,60±2°C) of osmotic solution with 70°Bx sucrose concentration at a constant agitation condition of 1000RPM until EMC was attained in each treatment. The study was analyzed in a completely randomized design. From an initial value of 90.00%, the moisture content of carrot slices was reduced to 77.12%-88.93% respectively. However, solids also increased from 10.00% to 14.91- 30.21%. The mass transfer was analyzed statistically and the Page model was found to be the best fit for the data on both moisture loss and solid gain. With regard to the effect of temperature on osmotic dehydration, the temperature was found to have a significant effect on mass transfer. In sensory evaluation, there was a significant difference in color and general acceptability of the product. Treatment 3 at 60±2°C has the highest rating of all parameters and is the most acceptable compared to other treatments with lower temperatures.