Semi-Mechanistic Modeling of an Osmotic Dehydration Process

This article presents a semi-mechanistic model (a hybrid of the classic and fuzzy models) of an osmotic dehydration process of pineapple. The fuzzy model (Takagi-Sugeno) represents a kinetic parameter of the physical process and it is developed through fuzzy clasification of data (Gustaffson-Kessel algorithm). The fuzzy model is then incorporated in the mass conservation equation (classic model) aiming at the numerical prediction of the process. Experiments and validations are presented