Drying Technologies in Food Processing, 2nd Edition: Innovations in Pretreatments, Process Optimization, and Quality Enhancement

Dear Colleagues,

Drying remains one of the most essential and widely utilized techniques in food preservation and processing. In recent years, significant attention has been directed toward the development of innovative drying technologies and pretreatment methods aimed at enhancing energy efficiency, improving product quality, and preserving valuable bioactive compounds.

Non-thermal pretreatment techniques—such as pulsed electric fields (PEF), ultrasound, vacuum treatment, and osmotic dehydration—are emerging as effective strategies to improve drying performance while minimizing thermal degradation. These advances are leading to more sustainable and high-quality drying processes for a wide range of food products.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent breakthroughs and research in drying-based food processing, with a particular focus on the following topics:

• Novel pretreatment technologies (e.g., PEF, ultrasound, vacuum, etc.);
• Osmotic dehydration and its integration with drying processes;
• Hybrid and combined drying systems;
• Modeling, simulation, and optimization of drying processes;
• Drying of novel and alternative food materials (e.g., insect-based, plant-based, or protein-rich products);
• Effects of drying and pretreatments on nutritional, physical, and sensory attributes;
• Retention of heat-sensitive compounds (e.g., color, flavor, antioxidants);
• Use of edible coatings and films during or after drying;
• Environmental sustainability and energy efficiency in drying technologies;
• Innovations in drying equipment design and intelligent control systems.

We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and interdisciplinary contributions that combine food science, engineering, materials science, and applied technologies. This Special Issue seeks to address current challenges and explore future directions in drying-based food processing.

Dr. Malgorzata Nowacka
Dr. Katarzyna Rybak
Guest Editors

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