Stability of strange quark matter: MIT bag versus Color Dielectric Model

We discuss the properties of strange matter, in particular the minimum of the energy per baryon number as a function of the strangeness fraction. We utilize both the MIT bag model and the color dielectric model and compare the energy per baryon with the masses of hyperons having the corresponding strangeness fraction, which are coherently calculated within both models. We also take into account the perturbative exchange of gluons. The results obtained in the two approaches allow to discuss the stability of strangelets. While the MIT bag model and the double minimum version of the color dielectric model allow the existence of strangelets, the single minimum version of the color dielectric model excludes this possibility.