Sucrose diffusion in Granny Smith apples is highly influenced by the application of a MEF, meaning that as the application of the electric field increases, the higher the effective diffusion coefficient (Deff) becomes. As has been mentioned, this can be explained by electroporation mechanisms that alter the structure of the apple tissue. However, the concentration of the osmotic solution does not significantly affect the effective diffusion coefficient, which as explained is because the effective diffusion coefficient is not
dependent on the osmotic solution but rather depends on the characteristics of the dehydrated product. From the above it is observed that the combined effect of osmotic dehydration plus MEF application in Granny Smith apple slices produces an acceleration of the mass transfer that enables a significant reduction in processing time, thereby resulting in an increase in productivity and a decrease in operating costs.