Sorption isotherms for osmo-convectively-dried and osmo-freeze-dried apple, sour cherry, and blackcurrant

SummaryThe aim of our work was to measure sorption isotherms on freeze-dried and convectively-dried fruits (apple cv. Idared; sour cherry cv. English Morello; blackcurrant cv. Tiben), previously osmotically dehydrated in fructo-oligosaccharide solution, or concentrated apple juice. Isotherms were fitted using the Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer Model. In none of the cases studied was isotherm non-continuity in the vicinity of the initial value of aw observed. All isotherms, classified as type III, demonstrated an increase in the equilibrium water content, along with an increase in water activity. A higher water content was observed in lyophilised material compared to material dried by convection. The water content in the monolayer (100 g−1 dry matter) ranged from 12.0 g for dried apple, to 17.0 g for dried sour cherry. These values can be considered as optimal in order to ensure safe storage conditions. The dried fruits should therefore be kept in a water activity range of 0.45 – 0.54 for lyophilised, and 0.46 – 0.63 for convectively-dried material.