Dried Beetroots: Optimization of the Osmotic Dehydration Process and Storage Stability

Area of Science:

• Food Science and Technology
• Agricultural Engineering
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Osmotic dehydration is a pre-treatment method used to reduce water content in fruits and vegetables.
• Sugar beet molasses is a byproduct of sugar refining that can be utilized in food processing.
• Beetroot is rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds, making it a valuable food source.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize the osmotic dehydration process for beetroot using sugar beet molasses.
• To evaluate the effect of a biopolymer coating on the quality and sustainability of osmotically dehydrated beetroot.
• To determine the optimal parameters for beetroot dehydration and storage.

Main Methods:

• Beetroots were osmotically dehydrated in sugar beet molasses with varied temperature, time, and molasses concentration.
• Quality indicators such as dry matter, water loss, solid gain, mineral, betaine, phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant potential were analyzed.
• Optimized beetroot samples were coated with a biopolymer derived from Camelina sativa oilcake and stored at 4 °C for 28 days.

Main Results:

• Optimal dehydration parameters were determined as 60 °C, 70% molasses concentration, and 5 h.
• The biopolymer coating was found to enhance the quality and sustainability of the osmotically dehydrated beetroot.
• Analysis confirmed significant changes in nutritional and bioactive compounds after dehydration and coating.

Conclusions:

• Optimized osmotic dehydration in sugar beet molasses is an effective method for beetroot preservation.
• Camelina sativa oilcake biopolymer coating improves the overall quality and sustainability of dehydrated beetroot.
• The study provides valuable insights into sustainable food processing techniques for root vegetables.