Optimisation of the pulsed vacuum osmotic dehydration of cladodes of fodder palm

Abstract

Fodder palm, a great source of nutrients for human and animals, grows even in arid climates. Pulsed vac- uum osmotic dehydration is an efficient process for obtaining semidehydrated food. It was used to slice cladodes of fodder palm. The independent variables used were temperature (30–50 °C), pulsed vacuum pressure (50–150 mbar) and NaCl concentration (5–15 g per 100 g solution). The response variables were water activity (a w ), moisture content (X), colour parameters, water loss (WL), solid gain (SG) and weight reduction (WR). The pulsed vacuum osmotic dehydration process was optimised for minimum values of a w , X and SG, and maximum values of chroma. The experimental data obtained with the optimum condi- tion (100 mbar; 10 gNaCl per 100 g solution, 44 °C) were near the estimated ones. For example, WL, a w and ΔE, and their error were 8.15 g per 100 g, 11%; 0.985, 0.3% and 6.15, 15.2%, respectively.