Pineapples (Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill) were purchased in the local market (Floriano polis, Brazil) and selected according to their soluble solids content. The whole fruits were washed, manually peeled, and cut (discarding their extremities) in slices with thick- ness of 5 mm and diameter of about 85e90 mm. Afterwards, each slice was cut into eight identical triangles with base of about 30e35 mm.
The impregnation solution was prepared by adding 3.675 g of CaCl2$2H2O to each 100 mL of distilled water, resulting in a Ca2þ concentration of 1.00 g 100 ml 1.