Asian Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology & Environmental Sciences Paper

APPLICATION OF TAGUCHI APPROACH FOR THE OPTIMIZATION OF OSMOTIC DEHYDRATION OF PAPAYA (CARICA PAPAYA L.)

RACHANA SHALINI, ALOK SAXENA AND B. R. SHAKYA

Abstract

The Taguchi design using L9 orthogonal array (four factors in three levels) was used to optimize the osmotic dehydration (OD) process of papaya (Carica papaya L.) in ternary solutions. The holistic effect of temperature of ternary solution (40-60 oC), sugar concentration (40-60 oB), calcium lactate salt concentration (1-3%) and immersion time (120-240 min) on the water loss (WL), solid gain (SG) and weight reduction (WR) of papaya was investigated. The obtained results showed that the only with the increase in sugar concentration and immersion time, increased the WL and WR of papaya which was desirable for the product while only immersion time had the significant effect on SG in papaya. The maximum WL and WR was obtained at 40 oC temperature of solution, 60 oB sugar concentration, 3% calcium salt and 240 min immersion time while the minimum SG was obtained at 40 oC temperature of solution, 40 oB sugar concentration, 1% calcium salt and 120 min immersion time. The optimized conditions obtained were 50 oC temperature of solution, 60 oB sugar concentration, 1% calcium salt and 120 min immersion time with WL at 26.33%, SG at 5.24% and WR at 22.11%. The most significant factor obtained for the OD of papaya using the Taguchi design was the immersion time of papaya in the ternary solution. The study concluded that the OD for optimal papaya product can be carried out at 50 oC temperature of solution, 60 oB sugar concentration, 1% calcium salt and 120 min immersion time. The most significant factors obtained which influence the OD of papaya was immersion time followed by sugar concentration of the ternary solution. The application of Taguchi Design of Experiments helped in reaching the optimal solutions and in critically analyzing the interactive effects of the most influential variables on WL, SG and WR while at the same time enhancing productivity.