# Shaping the Properties of Osmo-Dehydrated Strawberries in Fruit Juice Concentrates
###### Abstract
Sucrose is a very useful and popular substance used for the osmotic dehydration of fruits. However, the need to limit its consumption in the daily diet is the reason for the search for other osmotic substances. [PERSON] et al. [9] demonstrated the possibility of replacing 50% of sucrose with fructologicosaccharides with prebiotic activity, which resulted in a reduction of over 22% of the energy value of sugars contained in dehydrated currants and cherries. Attempts have been made to use polyalcohols, e.g., xylitol, maltitol, and erythiritol [10]. Another sucrose substitute is isomaltulose, called palatinose, which is a reducing disaccharide found naturally in honey and sugarcane juice. The taste of this compound is similar to sucrose but has a lower sweetness (42%) [11]. [PERSON] et al. [12] compiled examples of studies using unconventional natural sweeteners such as honey, jagery, coconut sugar, stevia, and beet molasses as osmotic agents. Many studies [7; 8; 13; 14; 15; 16] have shown the beneficial use of concentrated fruit or vegetable juices as osmoactive media for osmotic dehydration and at the same time enrichment of plant materials. Concentrates with a soluble solid content (SSC) of about 70% are obtained from fresh or frozen fruit or vegetables without the addition of chemical preservatives. Juices (concentrates) contain sugars, mainly fructose and glucose, but also other native substances with different molecular sizes. Mass transfer during osmotic dehydration is highly dependent on the type of dehydating medium, temperature, and time. Increasing the temperature increases the mass transfer rate. However, too high a temperature may cause unfavorable changes in the dehydrated material related to a decrease in the content of components sensitive to temperature increase. When optimizing the process conditions, the principle that the dewatering time is shortened at high temperatures is applied. More often, the dehydration temperature is moderate, typically in the range of 40-50 \({}^{\circ}\)C [6; 10]. Among the many benefits presented by [PERSON] [17], the possibility of using a mild heat treatment conducive to preserving color and taste deserves attention, because the product has favorable organoleptic properties. Furthermore, various techniques are also used for osmotic dehydration to increase the efficiency of mass transfer by partially damaging the structure of the material, for example, the use of a pulsed electric field [18], ultrasound [19], reduced pressure [20], or microwave [13]. The aim of the study was to check the suitability of concentrated fruit juices as osmotic agents that could replace sucrose as a more attractive osmotic solution. In addition, the use of fruit juice concentrates was intended to increase the nutritional value and naturalness of the product, which can be offered as a snack with high nutritional and health-promoting values. The research hypothesis assumes that the use of fruit concentrates during the osmotic dehydration of strawberries will have a positive effect on shaping the properties of osmodehydrated strawberries, including the content of bioactive compounds.