This study summarizes the most recent findings on osmotic dehydration, a crucial step in food preservation. The many benefits of osmotic dehydration are listed, including longer shelf life and preserved nutritional value. Mass transfer dynamics, which are critical to understanding osmotic dehydration, are explored alongside mathematical models essential for comprehending this process. The effect of osmotic agents and process parameters on efficacy, such as temperature, agitation and osmotic agent concentration, is closely examined. Pre-treatment techniques are emphasized in order to improve process effectiveness and product quality. The increasing demand for sustainability is a critical factor driving research into eco-friendly osmotic agents, waste valorization, and energy-efficient methods. The review also provides practical insights into process optimization and discusses the energy consumption and viability of osmotic dehydration compared to other drying methods. Future applications and improvements are highlighted, making it an invaluable tool for the food industry.

The present customer demand for ready-to-eat food items with higher nutritious value and longer shelf life necessitates creative solutions. An edible coating is a sustainable packaging solution that can prevent food deterioration and preserve food quality. Proteins, starch, and the addition of plasticizers are used to create edible coatings. The aim of this study was to develop coating solutions that can best preserve food using isolated starch and proteins from Chlorella vulgaris, and then compare them to coatings that comprise conventional ingredients like chitosan and starch. A number of criteria pertaining to the coatings’ mechanical, optical, thermal, and physical properties were tested. The alternative coatings performed just as well as the conventional ones, with the protein algal coating exhibiting the best thermal, optical, and physical qualities. The food product that needs to be coated can determine which coating is ideal. In conclusion, edible coatings derived from Chlorella vulgaris offer a sustainable solution to preserve ready-to-eat food items, showcasing comparable performance to conventional coatings.

This study presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a berry production system using osmotic dehydration and edible coating to extend the shelf life and improve the nutritional value. The goal is to evaluate environmental impacts, identify hotspots, and propose improvements. Osmotic dehydration is the main contributor to environmental impact, particularly due to the energy and resources required by apple juice as the osmotic agent. It contributes up to 0.64 kg CO₂ eq. per kg of blueberries, 1.36 kg CO₂ eq. per kg of raspberries, and 0.66 kg CO₂ eq. per kg of strawberries. The edible coating, however, has minimal environmental impact due to its low energy consumption and biodegradable materials. Packaging has a lower carbon footprint but contributes more to fossil fuel depletion and human toxicity. Raspberries show the highest human health impact (3.5 × 10⁻⁶ DALY/kg) and ecosystem impact (9.5 × 10⁻⁸ species.yr/kg), followed by strawberries (1.78 × 10⁻⁶ DALY/kg, 4.97 × 10⁻⁸ species.yr/kg) and blueberries (1.7 × 10⁻⁶ DALY/kg, 5.1 × 10⁻⁸ species.yr/kg), highlighting the greater environmental and health costs of raspberries. Despite the environmental burden of osmotic dehydration, it offers economic benefits by extending the shelf life, reducing losses, improving supply chain efficiency, and enhancing product quality, which leads to higher prices and profit margins. The study concludes that, while the environmental impacts of osmotic dehydration should be optimized, its economic and logistical benefits make it a promising preservation solution. Further research into eco-friendly practices is recommended to reduce ecological costs while maintaining commercial advantages.

Raspberries are increasingly popular due to their high nutritional value. However, oxidative reactions, respiration, spoilage bacteria, and improper storage conditions throughout the supply chain can lead to rapid quality degradation and a short shelf life. Extending the shelf life of raspberries with minimal processing, so as not to compromise their nutritional content, physical characteristics, or sensory attributes, remains a significant challenge in the food industry. Edible coatings offer a promising solution for extending the commercial shelf life of raspberries, while enriching these coatings with encapsulated bioactive compounds can further enhance their nutritional value. The objective of this study was to develop Chlorella vulgaris protein-based edible coatings, enriched with encapsulated bioactive compounds from rosemary (via electrospinning), to extend the shelf life of fresh raspberries. The berries were immersed in the coating solutions and air-dried until the coatings were fully set. The shelf life of the coated raspberries was then evaluated, with samples stored at 4 °C. Key quality attributes, including color, weight loss, antioxidant activity, and spoilage microorganism levels, were monitored at predetermined time intervals. The results demonstrated that the application of Chlorella vulgaris protein-based coatings enriched with bioactive compounds significantly extended the shelf life of raspberries and improved their overall quality.

The evolving modern lifestyle influences consumer dietary habits, driving the demand for new food products rooted in traditional healthy foods with greater health benefits. The Mediterranean diet, characterized by low animal fat intake and high vegetable consumption, has been shown to protect against heart disease, cancer, and obesity. Fermented olives, integral to this diet, are known for their high phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and beneficial unsaturated fatty acids. This study evaluates the environmental and economic benefits of integrating alternative/effective technologies, such as osmotic dehydration and edible coating, into conventional olive production processes, aiming to develop traditional Greek table olives with reduced salt content, enhanced nutritional characteristics, and extended shelf life. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis was conducted following the ISO 14040 and 14044 guidelines, adopting the ReCiPe 2016 (H) impact assessment methodology. Additionally, a preliminary economic evaluation including detailed planning, cost estimation, and process simulation was conducted. The results indicate significant environmental and economic advantages of the studied methods, despite more resources being required, making it a sustainable and promising approach for the production of high-quality fermented olives.

Berries are highly perishable due to their high water content, making them prone to rapid deterioration and spoilage. This study investigates the effects of osmotic dehydration and edible coatings, with and without bioactive compounds, on various quality attributes of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries during storage. The berries were pretreated using osmotic dehydration with apple juice, followed by the application of edible coatings from Chlorella vulgaris protein, with or without the addition of aqueous rosemary extract as a source of bioactive compounds. The results indicated that the combination of the two methods significantly reduced weight loss in all berry types, with the incorporation of bioactive compounds further enhancing moisture retention up to approximately 3% for blueberries and raspberries and 5% for strawberries. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity exhibited significantly increased stability in coated samples, with bioactive coatings contributing to improved antioxidant properties. The HPLC analysis proved that the bioactive profile was preserved after the treatments. Microbial analysis demonstrated that edible coatings, particularly those enriched with bioactive compounds, effectively inhibited microbial growth (TC approximately 4.5 log(CFU/g) with limit = 5 log(CFU/g) and YM approximately 3.5 log(CFU/g) with limit 4 log(CFU/g)), thereby extending the shelf life of the berries. These findings suggest that the synergistic application of osmotic dehydration and edible coatings, especially those containing bioactive compounds, significantly enhances the quality, shelf life, and potential health benefits of fresh berries during storage.