Coconut water is currently being considered as an elixir for patients suffering from diseases like dengue and malaria as well as chikungunia to provide hydration properties to the body. It has become a popular beverage for many people owing to its palatability and high mineral content. In this study, the growth, survival and fermentation performance of the probiotic bacterium Bacillus coagulans in coconut water was assessed in order to produce a novel non-dairy, probiotic beverage. The species was characterized on the basis of morphology, physiology and biochemical parameters and its probiotic attributes were assessed. Batch fermentations were carried out for 2 days at a constant 37°C, thereafter the samples were subjected to microbiological and chemical analysis. The results suggested that the specie produced lactic acid and was acid and bile tolerant. The pH and titratable acidity of probiotic fermented coconut water were found to be 4.4 and 0.53 % lactic acid, respectively. The viscosity of fermented coconut water increased significantly from an initial 5.13 mPa.s to 5.35 mPa.s because of the increase in soluble solids content due to exopolysaccharide production by B. coagulans during fermentation. Also, the overall acceptability score of probiotic coconut water was higher than tender coconut water, suggesting its feasibility for use as a probiotic beverage.

Osmotic dehydration of chestnut slices in sucrose was optimized for the first time by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Experiments were planned according to a three-factor central composite design (α=1.68), studying the influence of sucrose concentration, temperature and time, on the following parameters: volume ratio, water activity, color variation, weight reduction, solids gain, water loss and normalized moisture content, as well as total moisture, ash and fat contents. The experimental data was adequately fitted into second-order polynomial models with coefficients of determination (R2 ) from 0.716 to 0.976, adjusted-R2 values from 0.460 to 0.954, and non-significant lacks of fit. The optimal osmotic dehydration process conditions for maximum water loss and minimum solids gain and color variation were determined by the “Response Optimizer” option: 83% sucrose concentration, 20 °C and 9.2 hours. Thus, the best operational conditions corresponded to high sugar concentration and low temperature, improving energy saving and decreasing the process costs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate optimum test conditions of acoustical-mechanical measurement of wafer analysed by Acoustic Envelope Detector attached to the Texture Analyser. Forcedisplacement and acoustic signals were simultaneously recorded applying two different methods (3-point bending and cutting test). In order to study acoustical-mechanical behaviour of wafers, the parameters “maximum sound pressure”, “total count peaks” and “mean sound value” were used and optimal test conditions of microphone position and test speed were examined. With a microphone position of 45° angle and 1 cm distance and at a low test speed of 0.5 mm/s wafers of different quality could be distinguished best. The angle of microphone did not have significant effect on acoustic results and the nu