Effect of ultrasound treatment on the water state in kiwifruit during osmotic dehydration

• The effect of ultrasound pretreatment on osmodehydrated kiwifruit was studied.
• Kiwifruit microstructure and water state modifications were studied by SEM & TD-NMR.
• The microchannel creation was promoted by ultrasound pretreatment prior OD.
• Ultrasound pretreatment caused an increase of the cross-section area of the cells.
• TD-NMR showed a slight redistribution of water among the cell substructures.

The present work investigates how ultrasound pretreatment modulates the effects of osmotic dehydration (OD) on the water state and microstructure of kiwifruit. Kiwifruit slices (10 mm thick) were subjected to ultrasonic waves in a water bath at a frequency of 35 kHz for 10, 20 and 30 min. OD process was then carried out by immersing the samples in 61.5% sucrose solution equilibrated at 25 °C for a contact period of 0, 10, 20, 30, 60 and 120 min. The partition of water into the cellular tissue structures (vacuole, cytoplasm, extracellular spaces and cell wall) was investigated by Time Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR). In parallel, the microstructure of kiwifruits slices was examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope. The results showed that US pretreatment performed for more than 10 min had a positive effect on the mass exchange caused by osmotic dehydration. A creation of microchannels and an increase of the average cross-section area of cells were observed when the samples were pretreated with US before OD. TD-NMR showed a slight redistribution of water through the substructures of the cells, as a function of the length of the US pretreatment applied.