Predicting sugar content of candied watermelon rind during osmotic dehydration
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) is an important vegetable crop with a worldwide annual production of 104 million tons (United States Department of Agriculture, 2011). Watermelon consists of about 50% red or yellow flesh which is edible; the other parts, consisting of about 35% rind and 15% peel, are usually discarded (Rimando & Perkins-Veazie, 2005). Watermelon rind contains vitamins, minerals, fiber and citrulline, but most people avoid eating it due to its unappealing flavor and lack of sweetness (Al-Sayed & Ahmed, 2013; Johnson et al., 2012). Watermelon rind is about 95% water, which makes it susceptible to deterioration. Thus, it is important to reduce the moisture content of the watermelon rind in order to produce products with a stable shelf life. Dsmotic dehydration can be applied to remove the water, improve the flavor and increase the sugar content of watermelon rind for the purpose of obtaining a candied product.