Innovative Technologies for Improving the Sustainability of the Food Drying Industry

Drying as a preservation method for plant materials improves microbial and nutritional quality, however, such processing needs a lot of energy. Thus, different approaches are described as the use of the nonthermal processing (pulsed electric field, ultrasound, high-pressure processing, ethanol application) to reduce drying time and obtain a higher quality of final product. There are given several examples for nonthermal processing, which highlight the positive impact on drying time, bioactive compounds content, and energy consumption for different food products. Also, the other aspects are described of the use of conventional drying methods, including hot-air drying, freeze-drying, microwave drying, infrared drying, and vacuum drying, emphasizing their advantages and limitations. Furthermore, the concept of hybrid drying technologies, integrating various methods is described. Additionally, the importance of solar drying is presented as an eco-friendly method, and the growing interest in combined drying methods. Also, a practical example of a mobile drying unit project is presented, showcasing its potential for versatile use in different locations and farms. However, for scaling up the processing, the optimization of the drying process in the laboratory scale into industrial scales is done through methods like Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and others. This paper presents a brief overview of developing drying technologies according to the sustainable approach in the food industry. In the aim of sustainability and efficiency in food science, innovative pretreatments coupled with hybrid drying methods, play a crucial role in producing high-quality products with lower energy consumption and reduced investment costs, emphasizing the importance of incorporating renewable energy in new drying solutions.