Effect of sodium alginate edible coating on drying behavior and quality characteristics of ripe pineapple slices

The increasing global demand for tropical fresh cut products is driven by their convenience, quality, and health benefits, highlighting the need for effective preservation methods. Pineapple slices were treated with antioxidant solution, osmodehydrated (OD) and edible sodium alginate coating was applied in different methods to investigate the effect of edible coating on osmotic dehydration, convection drying phenomena, and quality parameters of dried pineapple slices. The findings showed that edible coatings influenced drying kinetics and physicochemical properties of pineapple slices. The optimal drying temperature was identified as 60 °C, while color degradation occurred at 65 °C. Pineapple slices treated with sodium alginate after OD required the highest activation energy (65.93 kJ/mol) for moisture diffusion. Coatings enhanced ash content and moisture retention while reducing shrinkage and improving the rehydration ratio, vitamin C, and total phenolic content (TPC). Sensory assessment indicated improvements in color, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability for all coated samples. Notably, samples coated with sodium alginate after OD exhibited the most favorable physicochemical properties at 60 °C and the highest overall acceptability up to the 15th day of post-processing storage. These results underscore the potential of edible coatings to enhance the preservation and quality of pineapple slices, suggesting scopes for future research in pre-treatment technologies for drying.