Next-Generation Food Drying: Specialized and Smart Approaches to Boost Efficiency and Quality

Drying is a critical unit operation in food processing, essential for extending shelf life, ensuring microbial safety, and preserving the nutritional and sensory attributes of food products. However, conventional convective drying techniques are often energy-intensive and lead to undesirable changes such as texture degradation, loss of bioactive compounds, and reduced product quality, thereby raising concerns regarding their sustainability and efficiency. In response, recent advancements have focused on the development of innovative drying technologies that offer energy-efficient, rapid, and quality-preserving alternatives. This review comprehensively examines next-generation drying methods, including microwave-, ultrasound-, infrared-, and osmotic-assisted techniques, as well as hybrid and precision drying systems designed to improve drying kinetics and product quality while reducing energy inputs. The integration of smart technologies, such as sensors, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and digital twin frameworks, is also discussed, with an emphasis on their role in enabling real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and adaptive control of drying processes. These innovations not only enhance process efficiency and product consistency but also align with broader sustainability goals by minimizing energy consumption and reducing food waste. Furthermore, the review critically addresses the current challenges impeding large-scale adoption, including issues related to cost, scalability, and uniformity of drying. By synthesizing technological innovations, sustainability considerations, and industrial applicability, this review provides a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, and food industry stakeholders, offering a strategic direction toward the implementation of smart, high-performance drying systems that support resilient and sustainable food systems.