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Ripe banana, cut to 10 mm thick slabs were osmotically treated in sugar solutions of 35, 50 and 65Њ Brix for 36 h. The initial moisture content fell from a value of 3.13 kg H 2 O DM to 2.19, 1.63 and 1.16 kg H 2 O kg Ϫ1 for treatment in the three solutions, respectively. These slabs, with Total Soluble Solids (TSS) contents of 26, 34 and 39Њ Brix, respectively, as well as freshly cut but untreated slabs (15Њ Brix) were air dried in a cabinet type tray drier to near equilibrium conditions at fixed temperatures from 40 to 80ЊC and at a constant air speed of 0.62 m s Ϫ1 . Drying was found to occur in the falling rate period only for both banana types and two drying constants K 1 and K 2 were established for a first and second falling rate period of drying. Increasing the drying air temperature significantly enhanced the drying rate and the K-values, except at 80ЊC when the rates fell, possibly because of case hardening of the slabs. Reducing the slab thickness also improved the drying rate, but increasing the air speed to 1.03 m s Ϫ1 did not have any profound effect. As the sugar content of the banana slabs increased through the osmotic treatment, drying rates fell. Calculated apparent moisture diffusivities at 60ЊC ranged from 34.8 ϫ 10 Ϫ10 m 2 s Ϫ1 (fresh slab) to 8.8 ϫ 10 Ϫ10 m 2 s Ϫ1 for dried (39Њ Brix) slabs. The moisture diffusivity was significantly lowered as the moisture content dropped in drying and with increased levels of sugar. Previously osmosed and then air dried banana slabs showed appealing colour and texture compared to the fresh banana.

This paper discusses the comprehensive and practical training that was delivered to students in a university classroom on how sensory evaluation can be used to determine acceptability of food products. The report presents how students used their training on sensory evaluation methods and analysis and applied it to improving and predicting acceptability of new innovative products that they developed. Students were exposed to and trained on performing some of the major sensory test methods, including discrimination, descriptive, and affective tests. They were also exposed to exercises which involved them physically setting up a test area, presenting samples that were coded and properly displayed, collating data from sensory evaluation questionnaires, statistical analysis of data collated and the use of the results of the analysis to make decisions on product acceptability and improvement. Students successfully applied their training and were able to not only get feedback on the specific food characteristics of their products that could be improved but were also able to conclude that the products they presented to the panelists were acceptable and that the panelists had a highly positive attitude towards eating the products and even purchasing if these were to become available in the market. Since appropriate statistical analysis was applied for the different sensory evaluation methods used for each of the different products, valid information and conclusions that can prove product quality and acceptability was gathered and can be presented to any product development and marketing departments in any food and beverage company that may wish to adopt and produce these products.

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