Innovations and Advances in Drying Processes and Technologies in Food Processing: Principles, Methods, and Applications
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2025 | Viewed by 534
Special Issue Editor
Interests: energy sustainability; renewable energy; solar power systems; hybrid drying processes; food processing technologies; innovative artificial intelligence
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Drying is an essential component in food processing that directly impacts product quality, safety, and shelf life. Recent developments in drying processes and technologies have led to significant improvements in energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and product integrity. This Special Issue focuses on cutting-edge advancements in drying methods, such as novel hybrid technologies, energy-efficient systems, and the optimization of drying parameters for different food materials.
The Special Issue will feature contributions that explore drying kinetics, the influence of drying on food nutritional and sensory attributes, industrial-scale applications, and the integration of drying with other food processing operations. The goal is to promote knowledge exchange and provide comprehensive insights into future directions of drying technologies in the food industry.
The aim of this Special Issue is to showcase the latest innovations and advancements in drying processes and technologies that play a pivotal role in modern food processing. Drying is a key unit operation in preserving food products, enhancing shelf life, and maintaining nutritional and sensory qualities. This Special Issue invites original research, reviews, and case studies focused on novel methods, optimization techniques, and energy-efficient approaches to drying technologies in food processing.
The scope covers a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Drying kinetics and modelling in various food materials;
- Novel and hybrid drying technologies (e.g., freeze-drying, microwave drying, vacuum drying, infrared drying);
- Energy-efficient and eco-friendly drying systems;
- Exergy, Exergo-economic, and life-cycle assessment of drying systems and the food processing in industry;
- Impact of drying processes on food quality, nutritional value, and sensory properties;
- Advances in drying process control, automation, and real-time monitoring;
- Industrial-scale applications of drying processes in food manufacturing;
- Process optimization and integration of drying with other food processing technologies;
- Post-drying packaging, handling, and storage strategies to maintain product stability;
- Advances in sensors and smart technologies for improving drying efficiency and accuracy;
- Case studies on sustainable and low-energy drying solutions.
This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to share innovations and insights that address both practical and theoretical challenges in food drying technologies.
Dr. Iman Golpour
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- drying processes
- food processing technologies
- drying kinetics
- novel drying methods
- energy-efficient drying systems
- freeze-drying
- microwave drying
- infrared drying
- vacuum drying
- solar dryer
- solar-assisted heat pump system
- hybrid drying technologies
- heat and mass transfer in drying
- food quality in drying
- nutritional retention during drying
- shelf-life extension
- sustainable food drying
- drying process optimization
- industrial food drying applications
- drying automation and control
- post-drying packaging and storage
- smart drying technologies
- exergy and advanced exergy analysis
- exergo-economic and environmental assessment
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