Smart drying of organic food products (SusOrgPlus Practice abstract)

Summary

Smart drying applications enable sustainable processing of organic food in terms of high final product quality and efficient drying processes. Valuable compounds are maintained to a higher degree compared to conventional drying applications.
• Know the critical temperature(s) of product components and decide which is the maximum allowed temperature for each product.
✓ Avoid the product temperature to exceed critical temperatures of product compounds.
• Monitor the moisture loss and the product surface temperature (pyrometer, infra red camera) and be aware that air temperature ≠ product temperature.
✓ Higher temperatures at the beginning of the drying process until the sharp rise of the product temperature flattens (inflexion point)
✓ Constant temperatures until the final moisture content is reached
• Control air temperature, velocity and relative humidity related to the drying phase of the product.
✓ High velocities at high evaporation rates
✓ Avoid case hardening and shrinkage
• Develop drying strategies in terms of drying parameters related to your drying device and the specific products based on experimental determined time intervals (s.a.).
Decreased drying times at increased product quality and increased energy efficiency!