Osmotic dehydration of Elegant Lady and Gold Prince peach slices in sucrose solution

SALVAÑAL, LARA; GABIOLONDO, JULIETA; BUDDE, CLAUDIO OLAF; CORBINO, GRACIELA; DRINCOVICH, MARÍA FABIANA; LARA, MARÍA VALERIA

Santa Fe

Congreso; 1XXXIII Reunión Argentina de Fisiología Vegetal (RAFV2021); 2021

SAFV

Peach is a natural source of bioactive compounds but is perishable. Dehydration of fresh fruit is other option for the consumers and industry. Osmotic dehydration previously applied to the conventional dryness is a promising alternative to preserve fruit quality and reduce processing costs. In this work, bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity were analyzed in slices of two commercial peach cultivars Gold Prince (GP) and Elegant Lady (EL) subjected to sucrose dehydration. Treatment (OD) consisted of 3 h incubation in a 47°Brix sucrose solution containing 2%(w/v) CaCl2 at 40°C under stirring. OD decreased the water content of fresh slices from 87±0.5 to 61±0.8. Samples were further dried at 58°C during 5 hs (OD+D). Treated slices were compared with those exclusively oven dried at 58°C. OD and OD+D slices displayed a remaining water content of 21±8%, with similar values within each cultivar. Based on either fresh or dry weight basis, there were not differences between OD+D and D samples in the content of total carotenoids, total proteins and antioxidant capacity measured by ABTS method for EL and GP, and in total phenolic content of GP. In contrast, total phenolics were higher in sucrose dehydrated samples than in D in EL fruits. Nevertheless, the content of ascorbic acid, flavonoids and antioxidant capacity measured by the DPPH method were lower in OD+D than in D slices of EL and GP. Essentially, the same behavior was observed in both cultivars. Benefits and cons of each treatment are discussed and results are compared to fresh fruit.