Osmo-convective drying of green peppers

Peppers are a fruit from tropical climates and are an excellent source of various nutrients that are essential for the daily maintenance of our bodies. Due to its high moisture content, this food has a very short shelf life because of its high water activity. However, fruits such as peppers can be dried in order to extend their shelf life with additional advantages, including the diversification of foods with greater added value, weight and volume reduction. Despite the positive contribution of drying, it can also have a negative effect on the sensory and nutritional quality of the product. Several studies suggest osmotic dehydration (OD) - which consists of immersing a solid food in a solution with a high concentration of soluble substances - as a pre-treatment to the conventional hot air drying process, as it minimizes thermal damage, reduces the water content of the food, as well as improving the texture, color stability and rehydration capacity of the hot air dried product.