Effect of pulsed vacuum and ultrasound osmopretreatments on glass transition temperature, texture, microstructure and calcium penetration of dried apples (Fuji)

The effect of pulsed vacuum and ultrasound pretreatments on glass transition, texture, rehydration, microstructure and other selected properties of air- and freeze-dried apples (Fuji) were investigated. Apple cylinders (15 mm height × 15 mm diameter) were first osmoconcentrated in a 60 g/100 g high-fructose corn syrup solution containing 7.5 g/100 g Gluconal Cal® combined with agitation, pulsed vacuum (PV), or ultrasound for 3 h, then hot-air or freeze dried. Changes in glass transition temperature, hardness, crispness, and rehydration rate were measured, microstructure was observed using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), and calcium ions distributions were analyzed by a laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Under the same drying method, ultrasound led to a higher glass transition temperature, lower water activity, moisture content and rehydration rate, severer structure collapse, less cavities and calcium uptake than PV did. Different osmoconcentration pretreatment had no significant (P < 0.05) effect on the hardness, crispness, shrinkage and rehydration rate. Compared to hot-air drying, freeze-dried apples showed the porous structure, minimal shrinkage, softer texture, better rehydration capacity, lighter color, and slightly lower glass transition temperature.