Abstract

In this work the influence of sodium chloride solute concentration on the nutritional quality of osmotically dehydrated Catfish and beef were evaluated using vitamin C as quality marker Results show that at 95 confidence interval NaCl concentrations play significant role in the stability of vitamin C in both catfish muscle and beef during osmotic dehydration The vitamin C value of catfish degraded from 20 5 to 88 76 for corresponding NaCl concentration levels of 10 to 90 respectively For beef 18 46 to 69 23 reduction of vitamin C was recorded for respective 10 to 90 NaCl concentration It is therefore advised that if sodium chloride must be used as solute in the osmotic dehydration of the above agricultural products then the dehydrated products must be fortified with adequate vitamin C before consumption