During osmotic dehydration, a cell placed in a hypertonic
solution (osmotic pressure higher than that of the cell) will lose
water. As the cell wall is permeable the volume between the cell
wall and plasmalemma fills with the hypertonic solution (Lewicki &
Lenart, 2006). Combination of high hydrostatic pressure with
osmotic dehydration leads to cell dehydration while gaining in
soluble solids until equilibrium in which net transport phenomena
is negligible. Moreover, osmotic dehydration of fruits provokes
changes in the product through physical and chemical changes
occurring throughout the process (Chiralt et al., 2001). Physiological
and biochemical changes in such products occur at a faster rate
than in intact fruits resulting in the rapid onset of enzymatic
browning and excessive tissue softening. Enzymatic browning and
the resultant discolouration of cut fruit products upon exposure to
air is a major problem for the food industry impairing not only the
colour of fresh-cut fruits but also the flavour and the nutritional