ARTICLE IN PRESS

LWT 39 (2006) 11711179

www.elsevier.com/locate/lwt

Effect of osmotic dehydration and vacuum impregnation on

respiration rate of cut strawberries
M.L. Castello, P.J. Fito, A. Chiralt
Food Technology Department, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, P.B. 22012, 46020 Valencia, Spain
Received 2 February 2005; received in revised form 24 June 2005; accepted 24 June 2005

Abstract
Respiration rate in terms of O2 consumption and CO2 production was determined in strawberry halves, both fresh-cut and
vacuum impregnated with an isotonic solution. The experimental measurements were also carried out in osmodehydrated samples
for different concentration levels (to 30 1Brix) at atmospheric pressure and by applying a vacuum pulse. Changes throughout time of
O2 and CO2 concentration in the headspace of chambers containing the samples were analysed to determine respiration rates. The
effect of temperature on respiration rate in fresh-cut and impregnated samples showed sigmoid behaviour where a sharp increase in
respiration levels occurred between 5 and 10 1C. Osmodehydration treatments resulted in a great decrease in O2 consumption but no
notable changes in CO2 generation, which suggests that anaerobic biochemical pathway became dominant respiration mode due to
the treatments. Production of ethanol and acetaldehyde was detected in these cases in agreement with the anaerobic process.
r 2005 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Osmotic dehydration; Vacuum impregnation; Respiration rate; Strawberry

1. Introduction
Extending the shelf-life of minimally processed fruits
(MPF), by preserving their quality attributes, represents
a relevant objective of the fresh-cut produce industry.
Nevertheless, process operations involved in MPF such
as peeling, cutting, incorporation of preservatives (acids,
antimicrobials, etc.), reduction of water activity, etc.,
can induce physiological alterations in the plant tissue
cells that are alive after processing. In MPF, respiration
rate and biochemical activity of cells are modied
(Deshpande, Sokhnansanj, & Irudayaraj, 2002) and
some undesirable metabolites may be formed, giving rise
to anomalous avour in the products (Brecht, 1995;
Saltveit, 1997; Watada, ko, & Minott, 1996).
Temperature has been identied as the most
important external factor inuencing fruit respiration
(Fonseca, Oliveira, & Brecht, 2002). Biochemical reacCorresponding author.

E-mail address: dchiralt@tal.upv.es (A. Chiralt).

tion rates generally increase two or three-fold for every

10 1C rise in temperature within the range of temperatures normally encountered in the distribution and
marketing chain (Burzo, 1980; Zagory & Kader, 1988).
In the last few years, besides low temperatures, modied
atmosphere packaging (with reduced oxygen levels) has
been used to improve the distribution of many fresh-cut
fruits, by reducing their respiration rate (AquinoBolanos, Cantwell, Peiser, & Mercado-Silva, 2000;
Gorny, 2001). However, this technology is quite
expensive and there is need for an adequate permeability
of gases in the packages to achieve the optimal
conditions for aerobic respiration. Exposure to O2 or
CO2 levels outside the limits of tolerance may lead to
anaerobic respiration with the production of undesirable
metabolites and other physiological disorders (SolivaFortuny, Oms-Oliu, & Mart n-Belloso, 2002; Zagory &
Kader, 1988). Development of new, cheaper processing
methods better suited to consumer necessities is
necessary to ensure quality and safety of minimally
processed fruits.

0023-6438/$30.00 r 2005 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2005.07.001

ARTICLE IN PRESS
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M.L. Castello et al. / LWT 39 (2006) 11711179

One interesting alternative to lengthen the shelf-life of

minimally processed fruits is to apply osmotic treatments with or without vacuum impregnation in order to
reduce product water activity, thus increasing the
microbial product stability, or to incorporate some
preservative compounds in the product (Fito & Chiralt,
2000). These treatments offer the possibility to obtain
minimally processed products, which in some cases have
improved organoleptic characteristics, and greater
stability than fresh-cut products (Escriche, Acosta,
Serra, Chiralt, & Fito, 1999; Fito & Chiralt, 2000;
Moreno, Chiralt, Escriche, & Serra, 2000). Nevertheless,
osmotic treatments imply cellular stress as a consequence of the reduction of available water in the cells,
which will also alter the cell physiological pattern. The
inuence of these treatments on respiration rates and
physiological disorders has been investigated in very
few studies (Haas, Prescott, & Cante, 1974; Lewicki,
Gondek, Witrowa-Rajchert, & Nowak, 2001; Tovar,
Garc a, & Mata, 2001a, b).
In osmotic dehydration, mass uxes of water and
soluble solids imply changes in structural and transport
properties (Chiralt & Fito, 2003; Fito & Chiralt, 2000).
The structural changes in the tissue depend on the
distance to sample interface or surface in contact with
the osmotic solution, in agreement with the developed
concentration proles (Salvatori, Andres, Chiralt, & Fito,
1998). In this sense, a different degree of cellular alteration
can be expected at different distances to sample surface
and a distribution of cell responses will be obtained as a
function of the developed proles, depending on process
conditions. Some cells can become unviable, whereas
other ones can remain practically unaltered.
In this work, respiration rates and the development of
ethanol and acetaldehyde of whole, fresh-cut and
osmodehydrated strawberries, with and without vacuum
impregnation treatments, were analysed. The effect of
temperature was also studied in strawberries which were
fresh-cut and vacuum impregnated with isotonic solution.

that, the atmospheric pressure was restored while the

samples remained immersed in the solution for 5 min
more in order to promote the solution inow in the
sample pores.
2.2.2. Osmotic dehydration with and without vacuum
impregnation
Osmotic treatments of strawberry halves were carried
out at 30 1C using glucose solutions as osmotic agent.
Samples were concentrated to different levels (15, 20, 25
and 30 1Brix) using two kinds of treatments: (a) by
sample immersion for different times (previously established in a kinetic study (unpublished data) in 50 1Brix
glucose solutions at atmospheric pressure (OD) and by
applying a vacuum pulse (5 kPa, for 5 min) at the
beginning of the process (pulsed vacuum osmotic
dehydration (PVOD)); (b) by sample immersion, at
atmospheric pressure and 20 1C, in the glucose solution
of appropriate concentration until equilibrium fruitsolution was reached (about 4 days); in this sense 8, 15
and 20 1Brix of glucose syrups were used. In case of
equilibrated samples (E), osmotic solution was prepared
with (0.014 mol/l), and without potassium sorbate that is
usually used to prevent microbial growth (Garc a,
Martino, & Zaritzky, 1998; Karabulut, Lurie, & Droby,
2001).
To carry out osmotic treatments a stirred tank,
temperature controlled at 30 1C, was used. The stirring
rate was established to assure the internal control of
mass transfer. The fruit to solution ratio was 1:15.
2.3. Analytical determinations
Moisture content was determined by drying to
constant weight at 60 1C in a vacuum oven at 10 kPa
for 72 h (adaptation of method 934.06 AOAC, 2000).
Soluble solids were measured in samples, previously
homogenized, with a refractometer (Carl Zeiss model
89553). All samples were weighed before and after
treatment to determine mass change.

2. Materials and methods

2.4. Determination of respiration rate

2.1. Raw material

A closed system was chosen to measure the

respiration rate. Strawberry samples (about 150 g)
were placed in 0.847 l hermetic glass jars with a
septum in the lid for sampling gas of the headspace at
different times. The jars were stored in a temperature
controlled chamber (P Selecta, Hot-Cold M 4000668).
Gas sampling was carried out every 15 or 30 min by
means of a needle connected to a gas analyser (PBI
Dansensor-CheckMate 9900 O2/CO2, Ringsted, Denmark). Four replicates were performed for each treatment.
Experimental points were considered in the time range
where a linear relationship was observed between gas

Strawberries (var. Camarosa) were obtained in local

market. Fruits were selected according to their ripeness,
size (about 16 mm longest axis) and colour, washed and
the stalk was removed. For the treatments, samples were
cut in half through the fruit axis.
2.2. Sample treatments
2.2.1. Vacuum impregnation (VI) with isotonic solution
Strawberries halves were immersed in isotonic solution of glucose (E8 1Brix) for 5 min at 5 kPa and after

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M.L. Castello et al. / LWT 39 (2006) 11711179

concentration and time. This means that no changes in

the respiration pathway of the samples occurred in this
period and so changes in the headspace composition did
not produce notable alterations in their metabolism.
Respiration rate (Ri, mli kg
1 h
1) of the samples in
terms of CO2 generation and O2 consumption was
determined from the slope of the tted linear equation,
according to Eq. (1), where yit is the gas concentration
(%O2, %CO2) ant time t, i being O2 or CO2, M is the
mass of the fresh samples and V the volume (ml) of
headspace. Respiration quotient (RQ) has been determined as the ratio between CO2 production and the O2
consumption:


(1)
yit yit0  100Ri M=V t.
The development of gas concentration was measured
in samples fresh-cut and impregnated with isotonic
solution at different temperatures: 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20 1C.
In the rest of the experiments, temperature was xed
at 10 1C.
2.5. Analysis of volatiles (ethanol and acetaldehyde)
In the same jars used to measure O2 and CO2, ethanol
and acetaldehyde concentration were analysed using a
gas microchromatograph (M200, Agilent) with a column OPM-PU08 at 153 1C and a thermal conductivity
detector (TCD). For the equipment calibration ethanol
and acetaldehyde standard nitrogen solutions at 100 and
50 ppm, respectively, were used.
2.6. Statistical analysis

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Effect of temperature on respiration rate of fresh-cut
and vacuum impregnated strawberries
Fig. 1 shows the respiration rates in terms of
consumption of O2 RO2 and production of CO2 RO2
for strawberry halves impregnated with isotonic (VI)
solution and nonimpregnated (nonVI), at different
temperatures. Since VI implied a change in sample
mass, R-values were referred in all cases to fresh sample
mass to make comparisons possible, as no changes in
cell number occur during treatments. Respiration rates
of whole strawberries were 1571 ml O2 kg
1 h
1 and
1672 ml CO2 kg
1 h
1 at 10 1C. By comparing these
values with those obtained for strawberry halves at the
same temperature, an increase of about 33% of R was
observed in agreement with that described by other
authors (Brecht, 1995; Watada et al., 1996; Lakakul,
Beaudry, & Hernandez, 1999; Zhu, Chu, Wang, &
Lencki, 2001) in terms of the acceleration of the tissue
metabolism by the cutting effect and the increase in the
gas exchange surface.
The effect of both temperature and VI on respiration
rate of the strawberry halves can be observed in Fig. 1.
Temperature did not show the typical exponential effect
(Lakakul et al., 1999; Mahajan & Goswami, 2001;
Fonseca et al., 2002) in the analysed range, but showed a
sigmoid behaviour, with an abrupt change in R between
5 and 15 1C. This behaviour is affected by VI treatment,
especially in terms of CO2 generation, although the
temperature effect is similar in both kinds of samples.
To model the experimental points the modied
Gompertz model (Eq. (2)) was used, where Ri is the
respiration rate Ro is the lower asymptotic value; DR is
the difference between the two asymptotic values; K
quanties the sharpness of the change and Tc is the

50

Respiration rate (mLCO2kg-1h-1)

Respiration rate (mLO2kg-1h-1)

ANOVA analysis using Statgraphics Plus 5 Software

was applied to evaluate differences among treatments.
Statistica 5.5 Software was used for nonlinear regressions.

40
30
20
10
0
0

10
15
Temperature (C)

20

25

1173

50
40
30
20
10
0
0

10
15
Temperature (C)

20

25

Fig. 1. Respiration rate as a function of temperature (experimental points and tted model), in terms of CO2 and O2, for fresh-cut samples with ()
and without (&) vacuum impregnation.

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M.L. Castello et al. / LWT 39 (2006) 11711179

characteristic temperature at the inection point. Table

1 summarizes the values obtained for these parameters
in VI and nonVI samples, in terms of O2 and CO2. In
Fig. 1, the tted model was plotted together with the
experimental points, where the close agreement can be
seen. Eq. (3), resulting from Eqs. (1) and (2), allows us
to estimate the gas concentration (yi ) in the headspace as
a function of time and temperature. In this equation, a is
the time required to achieve a constant slope in the
development of gas concentration:
(2)

(3)

Differences between behaviour of VI and nonVI

samples can be evaluated through the values of the
parameters. In nonVI samples, no signicant differences
in the parameter values for O2 and CO2 were observed,
in agreement with the values of the RQ which were close
to 1 in the complete temperature range analysed (Fig. 2).
In VI samples, notable differences were found for DR
and K parameters for O2 and CO2 data. Greater values
of DR were observed for CO2, although a lower value of
K was obtained. This is coherent with a greater CO2
generation as compared to the O2 consumption, which is
more marked as the temperature increases. This fact is
reected in the values of RQ (Fig. 2). The higher the
temperature, the more they exceed the value of 1.
The obtained results show that VI process did not
imply changes in the respiration behaviour in terms of
O2 consumption but promoted the anaerobic pathways
as shown by the CO2 promotion, this being more
notable when temperature increases. This effect could be
provoked by mechanical damage induced in the cells by
the pressure change and the subsequent alterations in
their metabolic routes.
It can be concluded that storage temperature is
critical to the preservation of fresh-cut strawberry, the
most appropriate being below 5 1C. On the other hand,
VI did not imply advantages in terms of the reduction of
respiration rate of the tissue, but CO2 production was
Table 1
Parameters of the modied Gompertz model for strawberry halves
vacuum impregnated (VI) and nonvacuum impregnated (nonVI)

RO
DR
K
Tc
R
VE

1.2

1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0

10

15

20

25

Temperature (C)

DR
M
t
a:
1 e
kT
T c V

NonVI

1.6
1.4

0.0

DR
Ri Ro
,
1 e
kT
T c
yit yit0  R0

1.8

Respiratory quotient

1174

VI

O2

CO2

O2

CO2

671
2772
0.3870.07
9.470.2
0.98
95.8

771
2771
0.4970.04
8.8370.18
0.98
94.6

9.070.5
22.270.8
0.7470.21
7.7870.38
0.98
95.4

7.470.8
3471
0.3971
8.6570.26
0.99
98.0

Fig. 2. RQ in fresh-cut strawberry, with () and without vacuum

impregnation (- - -&- - -) treatment.

enhanced, thus indicating the development of fermentative routes.

3.2. Effect of osmotic dehydration at atmospheric
pressure (OD) and by applying a vacuum pulse (PVOD)
on respiration rate of cut strawberries
Table 2 shows the compositional characteristics of
fresh and processed strawberry samples after the
different treatments. The water and mass loss and sugar
gain reached by the samples in each case have also been
included. Solute concentration in the samples was close
to that previously established (15, 20, 25 and 30 1Brix,
respectively) for the respective OD and PVOD treatments, both in treatments carried out with 50 1Brix
glucose (nonequilibrated samples) and treatments where
samples were equilibrated with glucose solutions of
adequate concentration. Water loss and sugar gain
increased as sample became more concentrated but no
notable differences were detected due to the kind of
treatment (OD or PVOD) in nonequilibrated samples.
Samples equilibrated with the osmotic solution showed
lower mass loss than the corresponding nonequilibrated
ones, which can be explained by the penetration of
osmotic solution inside the tissue by hydrodynamic ow
throughout the longer treatment time (Barat, Chiralt, &
Fito, 1998; Fito, Chiralt, Barat, & Mart nez-Monzo,
2002).
Osmotic treatments will imply alterations of cell
structure depending on process conditions (Chiralt &
Fito, 2003). Cellular alteration in the tissue depends on
the distance to the sample surface in contact with the
osmotic solution (sample interface) in nonequilibrated
samples. Structural proles, associated to compositional
proles, are developed in the plant tissue during osmotic
treatments (Albors, Salvatori, Andres, Chiralt, & Fito,
1998; Salvatori et al., 1998). Cells near the interface
are practically equilibrated in concentration with the
osmotic solution, whereas internal cells at a determined

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M.L. Castello et al. / LWT 39 (2006) 11711179

1175

Table 2
Mass fraction of water (xw) and soluble solids (xs) of fresh and dehydrated strawberries
Treatment

T (min)

xw

xs

DM

DMw

DMs

Fresh
OD 15
OD 20
OD 25
OD 30
IV 8
PVOD 15
PVOD 20
PVOD 25
PVOD 30
E8
E 8 (sor)
OD 15 E
OD 15 E (sor)
OD 20 E
OD 20 E (sor)

119
318
615
1008
10
109
292
564
925
5760
5760
5760
5760
5760
5760

0.91470.003
0.83870.010
0.76570.015
0.70870.007
0.68570.024
0.919
0.84270.006
0.77470.006
0.72570.024
0.65970.018
0.919
0.919
0.849
0.849
0.799
0.799

0.07770.006
0.13970.006
0.21470.011
0.26070.008
0.28570.016
0.080
0.14070.003
0.19670.009
0.24770.005
0.32170.005
0.080
0.080
0.149
0.149
0.200
0.200

0.2170.04

0.3470.03

0.4270.01

0.4870.04
0.0470.01

0.2370.05

0.3270.01

0.4070.04

0.4870.05
0.0470.04
0.0670.03

0.2170.03

0.0670.01

0.2770.03

0.2570.01

0.2170.04

0.3470.03

0.4270.01

0.4870.04
0.0470.01

0.2370.05

0.3270.01

0.4070.04

0.4870.05
0.0270.06
0.0670.03

0.2470.02

0.1270.01

0.3070.03

0.3170.01

0.04370.007
0.05870.006
0.06870.004
0.07170.011
0.00670.001
0.03870.005
0.05170.002
0.06370.008
0.07770.014
0.00470.005
0.00770.003
0.04170.004
0.06470.002
0.06870.007
0.07370.002

Mass loss (DM), water loss (DMw) and solute gain (DMs).OD: osmotic dehydrated samples at atmospheric pressure.
IV: impregnated samples with isotonic solution.
PVOD: osmotic dehydration samples by applying a vacuum pulse.
E: equilibrated samples with the osmotic solution at atmospheric pressure.
Numbers indicate 1Brix reached by the samples in the treatment.
sor indicates that osmotic solution contains 0.014 mol/l of potassium sorbate.

40

1.00
0.99

30

water activity

Soluble solids (Brix)

35

25
20
15

0.98
0.97
0.96

10
0.95

5
0

0.94
Fresh-cut

OD 15

PVOD 15

OD 20

PVOD 20

OD 25

PVOD 25

Fresh-cut

OD 15

PVOD 15

OD 20

PVOD 20

OD 25

PVOD 25

Fig. 3. Content of soluble solids (1Brix) and water activity (aw) determined in different zones of processed strawberry halves: External zones (2 mm
thick) near the epidermis (EE) (dark bars) and near the cut surface (EC) (white bars) and the internal zone (I) (grey bars). OD: osmotic dehydrated
samples at atmospheric pressure. IV: impregnated samples with isotonic solution. PVOD: osmotic dehydration samples by applying a vacuum pulse.
Numbers indicate 1Brix reached by the samples in the treatment.

distance from the interface are practically unaltered.

This distance corresponds to the positions of the
advancing disturbance front during the process (Salvatori et al., 1998) and increases slowly as the process
proceeds. Nevertheless, a wide nonaltered cellular zone
has been observed in 30 mm thick apple slices after 34 h
of treatment with 65 1Brix sucrose solution at 30 1C.
In the strawberry samples, the nonhomogeneous
concentration in the tissue after osmotic treatment was
also observed. Fig. 3 shows the values of the fruit liquid
phase concentration (1Brix) and water activity predicted
by Norrishs equation in the three different zones

analysed, as described above: two external zones

(2 mm thick) near the epidermis (EE) and near the cut
surface (EC) and the internal zone (I). Whereas similar
values of concentration were observed in these zones in
fresh tissue, notable differences were observed when
samples were processed, the EC zone being the most
concentrated and I zone the most diluted. This is
coherent with that obtained in previous studies (Shi,
1994; Talens, Hartong, Mart nez-Navarrete, Chiralt, &
Fito, 2000; Yao & Le Maguer, 1992), where solute gain
and water loss were higher in cut strawberries than in
whole strawberries due to the higher permeability of the

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M.L. Castello et al. / LWT 39 (2006) 11711179

1176

parenquimatic zone in comparison with the barrier

effect of the compact epidermal cells.
The different concentration levels reached in the
analysed zones reveals the presence of the concentration
proles in the strawberry tissue which will imply the
existence of proles in structural and physiological
alterations. Loss of cell functionality will occur from a
determined concentration level onwards when membranes become denatured and broken. Cell viability is
maintained in a narrow range of concentration close to
that present in the fresh tissue. For strawberries, a sharp
decrease in cell viability was observed for water activity
reduction from 0.952 to 0.891 (Ferrando & Spiess,
2001). The different degree of cellular alteration will
have an impact on the measured respiration rate which
involves the response of all the cells in the sample. The
greater the number of unviable cells, the greater the
respiration rate reduction, but altered viable cells could
increase their respiration rate as a response to the
osmotic stress. The impact of alteration of the tissue
structure (collapse of external cells, lling of intercellular
space with osmotic solution, etc.) on gas transport
properties in the tissue will also affect the respiration
behaviour.
Values of the respiration rate (in terms of O2 and
CO2) of nonequilibrated samples measured immediately
after processing, as a function of the concentration
degree (15, 20, 25 and 30 1Brix), reached in OD and
PVOD processes, are shown in Fig. 4. Since dehydration
implies change in the sample mass but not in the number
of cells, R values are referred per mass unit of fresh
sample to avoid the effects of the different sample mass
loss, thus making sample comparisons possible. Values
of RQ for all these cases are also plotted in Fig. 4.
ANOVA for Ri values showed a signicant inuence of
the dehydration level and kind of treatment (OD and

PVOD), but interactions between both factors were also

signicant, so an independent analysis for OD and
PVOD cases must be carried out. In Fig. 4 it can be
observed that osmotic treatments provoked a decrease
in the oxygen consumption depending on the kind of
treatment. All PVOD treated samples showed similar
values of RO2 with no signicant effect of the dehydration level, the values (around 5 ml kg
1 h
1) being the
lowest. OD treatments reduce the oxygen consumption
to a lesser extent than PVOD, although for 30 1Brix, the
same level was reached in both cases. In OD processes a
signicant effect (ao0:05 ) of dehydration level was
observed, the effect being more intense as the degree of
dehydration rises. The reduction in the oxygen consumption could be associated with the decrease of the
number of viable cells in the tissue, but this should imply
a notable effect of dehydration level, which is only
appreciated in OD processes. So, limiting the oxygen
diffusion in the tissue could be the most important
controlling factor in order to reduce RO2 . In OD
processes the structural changes commented on above,
especially in the more external zone of the tissue will
limit the oxygen access to the internal cells. The longer
the process time, associated to a greater dehydration
level, the greater the difculties for the gas diffusion.
Vacuum impregnation in PVOD processes additionally
provokes the lling or collapse of the intercellular spaces
(Chiralt et al., 1999) which will also contribute to
hindering oxygen access to the internal zone in the
tissue.
Generation of CO2 was hardly affected by osmotic
treatments and only for treatments where a high
concentration level was reached in the samples was a
slight decrease of RCO2 observed (Fig. 4). This behaviour
indicates that the tissue maintains its respiration
level to obtain the required energy, but following
5. 0

30

4. 0
Respiratory quotient

Respiration rate (mLkg-1h-1)

4. 5
25
20
Fresh-cut

15
10
5

3. 5
3. 0
2. 5
2. 0

Fresh-cut

1. 5
1. 0
0. 5
0. 0

0
0

10

15

20

Soluble solids (Brix)

25

30

10

15

20

25

30

Soluble solids (Brix)

Fig. 4. Respiration rates in terms of O2 (circles) and CO2 (triangles) and respiratory quotient (squares) of strawberry halves as a function of the
soluble solid content for osmodehydration treatments at atmospheric pressure (OD) (open symbols) and by applying a vacuum pulse (PVOD) (lled
symbols).

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M.L. Castello et al. / LWT 39 (2006) 11711179

20

15

(mLkg-1h-1)

Respiration rate CO2 - Respiration rate O2

anaerobic routes. Only in those samples already greatly

affected (30 1 Brix), was a signicant decrease in overall
respiration rate observed. Differences in RCO2 and RO2
(Fig. 5) quantify the intensity with which anaerobic
respiration paths occur in the tissue as affected by the
different treatments.
Different behaviour of PVOD and OD treated
samples could be due to the differences in concentration
and structural proles induced by the treatments at a
determined overall concentration level. In OD processes
more abrupt changes are expected as a function of the
distance to the sample interface than in PVOD treated
samples, where the impregnation with the osmotic
solution gives rise to atter proles. In this sense, the
number of viable cells and degree of cell alteration will
be different in each case and so the respiration path
observed for the samples may be different.
Increases in the RQ provoked by the treatments
are shown in Fig. 4. No signicant differences were
observed among OD samples of 25 and 30 1Brix and 15
and 30 1Brix PVOD samples, where RQ ranged between

10

1177

3 and 3.5. The maximum RQ value was reached in 25

and 20 1Brix PVOD samples where RQ was about 4.
Fig. 6 shows respiration rates and RQ obtained in
osmodehydrated samples when they are immersed in
isotonic solution or equilibrated with osmotic solutions
of 15 and 20 1 Brix for the same time. Values of fresh-cut
samples are also included for comparison. Equilibrated
samples showed lower oxygen consumption than nonequilibrated OD treated samples, but greater than PVOD
treated samples. Concentration level did not affect RO2
as occurred in nonequilibrated samples concentrated at
the same levels. CO2 production was greater in
equilibrated samples than in nonequilibrated. In the
rst case it can be assumed that all cells showed
physiological alterations and so the promotion of
anaerobic pathways occurs in a greater sample volume.
Values of RQ obtained for equilibrated samples are in
the range of the PVOD treated samples with the same
concentration. The higher the soluble solid content, the
greater the RQ.
When potassium sorbate was added to osmotic
solution, as an alternative to prevent microbial growth
(Garc a et al., 1998; Sofos & Busta, 1983), cell
respiration was practically inhibited in both aerobic
and anaerobic pathways. This is probably due to the
action of physicochemical mechanisms associated to the
action of this preservative on cell membrane which alters
the biochemical syntheses, inhibiting enzymatic reactions in the microbial (or plant) cell (Luck, 1981).
According to these results, the use of sorbate could be
advantageous during storage and transport of these
products. However, sorbate treatments implied a great
impact on the sample colour, which loses brightness

0
30

3.3. Volatile production of osmodehydrated strawberries

Fig. 5. Difference between respiration rate evaluated through CO2

production and O2 consumption in osmodehydrated samples at
atmospheric pressure (open symbols) and by applying a vacuum pulse
(lled symbols).

The very high values of RQ account for the

development of different metabolic pathways in osmodehydrated samples which was ratied through the
levels of ethanol and acetaldehyde detected in the
headspace (Fig. 7). Presence of these volatiles was not

10

15

20

25

-5

Soluble solids (Brix)

20

10

0
without sorbate

with sorbate

30
Respiratory quotient

30

Respiration rate (mLCO2kg-1h-1)

Respiration rate (mLO2kg-1h-1)

20

10

0
without sorbate

with sorbate

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
without sorbate

with sorbate

Fig. 6. Respiration rates and RQ obtained in osmodehydrated samples when they are immersed in isotonic solution (dark grey bars) or equilibrated
with osmotic solutions of 15 1Brix (light grey bars) and 20 1Brix (white bars) for the same time. Values of fresh-cut samples (black bars) were included
for comparison.

ARTICLE IN PRESS
M.L. Castello et al. / LWT 39 (2006) 11711179

1178

1200
1000
L ethanol/kg fruit

L acetaldhyde/kg fruit

300

200

100

800
600
400
200

0
10

20

30

40

10

Soluble solids(Brix)

20

30

40

Soluble solids(Brix)

Fig. 7. Levels of ethanol and acetaldehyde obtained in the headspace of dehydrated samples at atmospheric pressure (- - -}- - -) and by applying a
vacuum pulse (~).

detected in whole and fresh-cut samples. In dehydrated

samples the volatile release analysed in the headspace
corresponds to levels reached 3 h after removing them
from the osmotic solution. During the immersion time
in the osmotic treatment, the normal respiration process
will be inhibited because of the practically complete
absence of oxygen. In this period the formation of
volatiles may be promoted by anaerobic conditions and
their release occurs in the headspace when the tissue
recovers a normal atmosphere. Likewise, the greater the
number of cells altered by osmotic treatments, the
greater the expected levels of ethanol and acetaldehyde.
In Fig. 7, it can be observed that acetaldehyde and
ethanol levels increase when the dehydration degree
increases, but suffer a notable reduction (especially
ethanol) when samples reached 30 oBrix, which coin%
cides with the reduction in the CO2 formation.
This may
be explained by the increase in the number of nonviable
cells, which do not contribute to the biochemical
response of the sample.
Samples equilibrated without potassium sorbate
showed levels of ethanol similar to those found in
nonequilibrated samples; the values being 320740
and 377747, respectively, for samples with 15 and
20 1Brix. However, the concentration of acetaldehyde
was much lower, being almost negligible in samples with
20 1Brix and 63713 for samples with 15 1Brix. This
could be explained by the fact that all acetaldehyde
could be transformed in ethanol due to the length of the
process time.

4. Conclusions
Respiration rate of fresh-cut and vacuum impregnated samples of strawberries increases with temperature showing sigmoid behaviour; a sharp increase in

respiration rate occurs between 5 and 10 1C. VI did

not imply advantages in terms of the reduction of
respiration rate, but CO2 production was enhanced in
agreement with the development of fermentative routes.
Osmotic treatments provoked a decrease in the
oxygen consumption although CO2 formation is not
inhibited, which is in agreement with the development of
fermentative paths as a response due to cell alterations.
These fermentative routes imply the development of
volatiles such as ethanol and acetaldehyde, depending
on process conditions. Sensory properties of the samples
and study of their behaviour during storage at low
temperature should be analysed to know both the
effectiveness of osmotic treatments to obtain minimally
processed strawberries and their shelf-life.

Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Ministerio de Ciencia y
Tecnolog a for funding the project AGL 2001-3025
and the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia for a Ph.D.
grant.
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