THE principle of osmosis has been known as a means of water removal for some time. However, controlled application of osmotic treatments (OT) to food can be considered among the newest of improved techniques. Food products obtained for final consumption through OT are intermediate moisture products of improved quality, compared to conventionally dried materials. The treatment involves immersing foods in aqueous solutions of sufficiently high concentration at moderate temperatures. Consequently, water drains from the tissue into the solution and the solute transfers from the solution into the tissue. However, a leaching process of the tissue’s own solutes into the solution is also observed.
