# The Effect of Osmotic Dehydration Conditions on the Magnesium Content in Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.)

## TL;DR

This study shows how osmotic dehydration affects magnesium content in beetroots, with factors like magnesium form and solution type playing key roles.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel analysis of how different magnesium forms and osmotic agents influence magnesium retention in dehydrated beetroot.

## Key findings

- Magnesium content in beetroot increased significantly during osmotic dehydration.
- The highest magnesium retention occurred with 50% inulin and 5.0% magnesium chloride at 120 min/30 °C.
- Osmotically dehydrated beetroot showed 3–5 times lower antioxidant activity compared to controls.

## Abstract

Osmotic dehydration is a process involving a two-way mass transfer, during which water and substances dissolved in it are removed from the product and, at the same time, substances dissolved in a hypertonic solution penetrate into the tissues. This process has a significant effect on, among other things, the nutritional and sensory parameters, as well as the texture and shelf life of the dehydrated product. This study analyzed the effect of osmotic dehydration of beet on magnesium content following the addition of various chemical forms of magnesium (magnesium oxide, magnesium citrate, magnesium chloride) to a hypertonic solution. Magnesium was added in concentrations of 2.5 or 5.0% relative to the mass of the solution. The following compounds were used to prepare hypertonic solutions (25 and 50%): inulin, xylitol, erythritol, and sucrose. The control sample was water. A significant increase in magnesium content in the dehydrated material was confirmed. This effect was determined by many factors, among which the most important were the chemical form of magnesium, the type of osmotically active substance, magnesium concentration, and process time. The highest magnesium content was found in samples dehydrated in a 50% inulin solution with a 5.0% addition of magnesium chloride under the following conditions: 120 min/30 °C. It was also demonstrated that osmotically dehydrated samples exhibited approximately 3–5 times lower antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS, and ORAC tests.