New hybrid drying technologies for heat sensitive foodstuffs

Drying is an indispensable process in many food industries. The drive towards improved drying technologies is spurred by the needs to produce better quality products. Improvement in quality of most food products translates into significant increase in their market value. The recent development of new hybrid drying technologies to improve food quality is in line with the present trend of 'quality' enhancement with reduced environmental impact. This review paper summarises some recent developments in hybrid drying technologies of interest to food industry. Numerous emerging technologies are listed and discussed in detail. The potential application areas for these hybrid drying technologies in product quality enhancement are identified. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.