# Shaping the Properties of Osmo-Dehydrated Strawberries in Fruit Juice Concentrates
## 3 Results and Discussion
### The Impact of Fruit Concentrates on the Physical Properties
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Osmotic Agent**} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**Osmo-Dehydration Time (h)**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Color Parameters**} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**\(\Delta\)E**} \\ \multicolumn{1}{c}{} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**L***} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**a***} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**b***} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{**\(\Delta\)E**} \\ \hline Fresh fruit & - & 33.79 \(\pm\) 3.85 & 24.14 \(\pm\) 3.83 & 19.68\(\pm\) 4.51 & - \\ \hline \multirow{4}{*}{Sucrose} & 0.5 & 37.48 \(\pm\) 2.11  & 15.49 \(\pm\) 2.74  & 7.43 \(\pm\) 11.87  \\ \cline{2-5}  & 1 & 38.97 \(\pm\) 4.33  & 21.28 \(\pm\) 3.57  & 15.45 \(\pm\) 2.35  & 8.73 \(\pm\) 3.31  \\ \cline{2-5}  & 2 & 35.86 \(\pm\) 3.69  & 20.92 \(\pm\) 3.75  & 16.32 \(\pm\) 3.79  & 7.54 \(\pm\) 2.67  \\ \cline{2-5}  & 3 & 47.33 \(\pm\) 4.53  & 18.73 \(\pm\) 4.37  & 14.22 \(\pm\) 2.59  & 16.12 \(\pm\) 5.15  \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Comparison of color parameters and the absolute color difference of osmotic dehydrated strawberries. Figure 2: Effect of the type of osmotic agent (sucrose and fruit concentrates) on the dry matter content and water activity of osmodehydrated strawberries. Different letters above columns show the statistical difference (_p_ < 0.05). The highest color lightness L* was found in strawberries dehydrated in a sucrose solution for 3 h, obtaining a value of 47.3 \(\pm\) 4.5. The lightness of the color of these fruits was much higher compared with the color of the raw material. This is due to the high color brightness of the sucrose solution (99.63) compared with the concentrates (0.41-9.57) used as osmotic agents (Table 1). Generally, it is obvious that the color will change due to the colored juice concentrates [14; 29]. Additionally, the lower pH of the osmotic solutions (Table 1) might influence the compounds responsible for the color (e.g., anthocyanin), whose stability is dependent on the pH value [39]. As the pH increases, the anthocyanin color lightens. However, the presence of components that are copigments can help retain and partially stabilize the color [40]. Strawberries dehydrated in juice concentrates had a darker color compared with those dehydrated in a sucrose solution. Fruits dehydrated in a strawberry juice concentrate were characterized by color lightness similar to or higher (32.3-37.2) than the color of the raw material. Strawberries kept in a chokeberry concentrate, rich in intense dark red anthocyanins, obtained the lowest value of the L* parameter (19.8-23.1). This is related to the penetration of colored substances contained in fruit concentrates into the fruit [14]. Significant changes in the color of pomergnate seeds were observed after osmotic dehydration in bitter orange juice, apple juice, and grape juice [8]. The value of the a* parameter decreased in strawberries dehydrated in a solution of sucrose and chokeberry concentrate in comparison with the color of the raw material. On the other hand, the use of strawberry and cherry concentrates increased the share of red color and the use of a strawberry concentrate also increased the share of yellow color in comparison with the color of the fresh fruit. The lowest values of parameters a* and b* were observed in the color of strawberries dehydrated in a chokeberry concentrate solution. This is due to the values of the parameters a* and b* of the color of the strawberry concentrate, approximately 42.23 and 15.75, respectively, compared with the cherry concentrate (10.82 and 1.71) and the chokeberry juice concentrate with the value a* 0.09 and b* \(-\)0.96 (Table 1). The type of osmotic agent had a significant impact on the absolute color difference (Table 2). Lower values were found with the use of a sucrose solution and with the use of a strawberry concentrate. All color differences were significant and perceptible to the human eye [23].