Sodium adsorption in potatoes was studied using osmotic solutions. The specific aims of this study were to quantify the diffusion of sodium into a potato and change process variables to reliably reduce the final sodium concentration in the sample. Sodium adsorption was quantified using linear correlation equations, derived from simplifications of Fick’s second law. A sodium mass transfer coefficient (ks) was calculated from linear regression analysis. Comparing ks values associated with different processing conditions serves as a useful metric in determining the best strategies to decrease the rate of sodium adsorption. The parameter changes investigated were temperature, concentration and anion species. Experimental determination of the differences in the mass transfer coefficient resulting from these changes was the focus of this study. Among these parameters, changes in temperature ranging above and below the starch gelatinization temperature resulted in the largest effect on sodium diffusion, followed closely by introduction of anion species larger than chloride.

Determination of quantitative sodium mass transfer coefficient during osmotic processing of potatoes

249th National Meeting (2015)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.