Food Drying and Modeling

Drying and dehydration are among the oldest methods of food preservation, and researchers today study them with rigorous mathematical models that describe how water moves out of fruits, vegetables, and herbs under different temperature, airflow, and energy conditions. Getting the kinetics right matters because drying too quickly or at the wrong temperature degrades color, texture, and antioxidant compounds, while drying too slowly risks microbial growth and energy waste. Current work focuses on improving efficiency through microwave and solar technologies, as well as ultrasound pre-treatments that open cellular structures and reduce overall drying time. Open questions include how to build models that accurately predict quality loss — not just moisture loss — and how to scale promising laboratory methods to affordable, consistent use in diverse agricultural settings.

Works

41,390

Total citations

502,763

Keywords

DryingDehydrationFoodKineticsModelingMicrowave