The spatial distribution of β-carotene impregnated in apple slices determined using image and fractal analysis

Changes in the concentration profiles of beta-carotene caused by diffusion through parenchymatic dried apple tissue were characterized by image and fractal analysis. Apple slices were dried by convection, and then impregnated with an aqueous beta-carotene solution. Scanning electron microscopy images of dried apple slices were captured and the fractal dimension (FD) values of the textures of the images were obtained (FDSEM). It was observed that the microstructure of the foodstuff being impregnated have an important effect on the impregnation phenomenon, generating irregular concentration profiles of beta-carotene, which are numerically described by the fractal dimension FDPROFILES and are related to the diffusion process during impregnation in dried edible tissue.