## 4 Conclusions  
The optimization of the osmotic dehydration process for strawberry slices was successfully achieved by evaluating the effects of glycerol concentration, immersion time, and temperature on WL and SG. The study highlighted the significance of high glycerol concentration (around 60% \(w/w\)) and temperature (approximately 50 \({}^{\circ}\)C), along with immersion times at specific range (estimated 190-270 min), in maximizing water loss and solid gain. The prediction model demonstrated high reliability for water loss but showed a need for further refinement in predicting solid gain. Experimental validations confirmed the model's robustness, with immersion times between 170 and 220 min being optimal for the migration of natural antioxidants into the strawberry tissue. At longer immersion times (270-300 min), the transfer of natural antioxidants decreased, possibly due to tissue saturation or phenolic compound degradation. The OD process was effective in reducing water activity and moisture content, enhancing the strawberries' shelf stability, although additional processing steps may be required for long-term preservation. The study also confirmed that the firmness of strawberries decreased with prolonged immersion times, but significant changes were only observed at extended durations. The addition of calcium chloride played a crucial role in preserving the texture and color of the strawberries, contributing to their overall quality. These findings align with previous research indicating that OD processes generally preserve color and texture by minimizing air exposure and heat impact. In conclusion, the optimized OD process preserved the structural integrity \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Inmersion Time** & **L*** & **a*** & **b*** & **h** \\
**(Min)** & **L*** & 19.97 \(\pm\) 2.62 a & 16.36 \(\pm\) 2.68 a & 39.19 \(\pm\) 2.68 a \\
170 & 41.23 \(\pm\) 3.20 b & 21.54 \(\pm\) 2.15 ab & 11.00 \(\pm\) 1.95 b & 26.92 \(\pm\) 2.78 b \\
190 & 43.44 \(\pm\) 3.15 bc & 21.25 \(\pm\) 1.87 ab & 12.96 \(\pm\) 1.73 bc & 31.31 \(\pm\) 2.49 c \\
220 & 42.81 \(\pm\) 3.71 bc & 22.31 \(\pm\) 3.92 b & 13.11 \(\pm\) 2.70 bc & 30.34 \(\pm\) 1.98 c \\
270 & 42.98 \(\pm\) 3.12 bc & 21.81 \(\pm\) 4.52 ab & 12.78 \(\pm\) 3.13 bc & 29.65 \(\pm\) 2.17 c \\
300 & 44.85 \(\pm\) 3.00 c & 23.55 \(\pm\) 2.3 b & 14.19 \(\pm\) 1.89 c & 30.40 \(\pm\) 1.86 c \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}  
* Different letters in the same column indicate a significant difference (\(p\) <0.05).  
\end{table} 
Table 7: Color parameters of strawberries during osmotic dehydration. Figure 7: Osmotic treated strawberry slices on different immersion times (0, 170, 190, 220, 270, 300 min). and improved the nutritional profile of strawberries, offering valuable insights into the conditions necessary for effective dehydration. These results support the potential for OD to extend the shelf life and enhance the quality of strawberries, making them suitable for a wide range of fruit-based products. Further research should focus on refining the prediction models for solid gain and exploring additional variables that could influence the dehydration process. Finally, investigating the reuse or handling of the hypertonic osmotic solution, which changes in composition due to water transfer, would be important for future studies. The following supporting information can be downloaded at: [[https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app14209211/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app14209211/s1)]([https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app14209211/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/app14209211/s1)), Table S1: ANOVA table of the applied Box-Behnken design on WL; Table S2: ANOVA table of the applied Box-Behnken design on SG. Conceptualization, V.J.S. and T.T. ; methodology G.L., T.T., N.A.S., I.F.S. and V.J.S. ; software G.L. and T.T. ; validation G.L. and T.T. ; formal analysis, G.L. and N.A.S. ; investigation G.L., T.T., N.A.S., I.F.S. and V.J.S. ; resources, G.L. and N.A.S. ; data curation, G.L. and T.T. ; writing--original draft preparation G.L.