Preservation of fruits through drying—A comprehensive review of experiments and modeling approaches

Abstract

A significant part of the world's population still has problems in accessing food. The growing world population will exacerbate this issue in the future. Innovative studies conducted in this field play a crucial role in addressing the issue of drying and storage of foods. Atmospheric drying methods, such as rotary, tunnel, conveyor, cabinet, tower, and kiln dryers, offer advantages in relation to high production capacities, cost‐effective initial setup, and economical operating conditions. However, concurrently, the weaknesses of these methods arise from factors such as drying duration, uneven moisture content, and space requirements. The solar dryer method is especially effective in dehydrating agricultural products, offering an energy‐saving advantage compared to other methods. However, it is important to note that this approach, which involves exposing crops to direct sunlight, comes with several drawbacks affecting both food quality and health. In cases where the quality of highly valued foodstuffs is crucial, subatmospheric drying methods like vacuum, freeze, and microwave freeze are typically preferred. However, the primary drawback of this approach lies in its high operating costs, particularly in terms of energy consumption. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) can be used for predictive modeling, helping to forecast drying behavior and optimize process parameters in food drying applications especially nonlinear connections among variables. ANNs are adept at managing nonlinearities, offering a more precise depiction of the intricate interactions within food drying systems. This review examines articles from the last 5 years in the literature, synthesizing research conducted in food drying. The findings indicate a predominant interest among researchers in methodologies with lower environmental impact, prompting increased attention to studies addressing this aspect. There is a notable emphasis on the frequent exploration of energy‐efficient systems. The ongoing research focuses on the development of methods utilizing ultrasonic, infrared radiation, and electrohydrodynamic techniques to achieve more effective, shorter‐duration, energy‐efficient drying processes with enhanced control over the final product.