Osmotic dehydration improved the tasting qualities of the end product as a result
of increased sugar content and decreased acid content during the process. Using high
temperature fluidized bed (HTFB) dehydration of osmotically dehydrated Rabbiteye
blueberries, fruits with a soft and raisin-like texture were obtained by Kim and Toledo
(1987). Sankat et al. (1996) reported that osmotically dehydrated banana slabs followed
by air drying were softer and more chewable than slabs air dried without osmotic
dehydration as pretreatment. Also, osmosed slabs maintained a predominantly pleasing
yellow/orange color during the air drying process, compared to the untreated slabs which
became light to dark brown very rapidly.