Mass Transfer Modelling During Osmotic Dehydration of Jumbo Squid (Dosidicus gigas): Influence of Temperature on Diffusion Coefficients and Kinetic Parameters

Abstract

Mathematical modelling was used to study the effect of process temperature on moisture and salt mass transfer during osmotic dehydration (OD) of jumbo squid with 6% (w v−1) NaCl at 75, 85 and 95°C. The diffusion coefficients for moisture and salt increased with temperature. Based on an Arrhenius-type equation, activation energy values of 62.45 kJ mol−1 and 52.14 kJ mol−1 for moisture and salt, respectively, were estimated. Simulations of mass transfer for both components were performed according to Newton, Henderson and Pabis, Page, Weibull and logarithmic mathematical expressions. The influence of drying temperature on the kinetic parameters was also studied. Based on statistical tests, the Weibull and logarithmic models were the most suitable to describe the mass transfer phenomena during OD of jumbo squid.