ND223L Task 7
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YESSAMIN PAREDESND223L Task 7
Uploaded by
YESSAMIN PAREDESYessamin Paredes
ND223/L (8806)
Assignment 7
1. Explain the concept of drying and how it can preserve food.
Drying is a food preservation technique used to extend the shelf-life of food products by
lowering the availability of water present in food. When water is low, it ceases the activities
of microorganisms and enzymes. Consequently, this impedes spoil- and poison-causing
microorganisms from acting upon the food.
Drying results in structural changes that differ from the initial structure of the product. Hence,
dried foods look darker, crisper, and shriveled. Nonetheless, these changes may be favorable
or unfavorable appearance-wise. During drying, water vapor evaporates from the product's
surface, and as a result of evaporation, the energy status of the water in the food decreases,
as predicted by water activity (Adeyeye et al. 2022). Along water loss, some nutrients like
water-soluble vitamins can be evaporated as well. However, such nutrient loss can be
compensated through an enrichment process.
Aside from the mentioned benefits it provides in the preservation of food, drying has other
advantages. First, it reduces the bulk of food and provides more space for storage. Next, it
lessens the product’s weight desirable for transport. Finally, it reduces the risk of food waste,
cuts costs, and stores for year-round use (Guiné & Dets, 2018).
2. What are the different methods of drying?
According to the Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, drying can be natural or
mechanical.
NATURAL DRYING MECHANICAL DRYING
Sun-Drying Freeze Drying
Solar Drying Microwave Drying
Shade Drying Drum or roller Drying
Tower Drier
Kiln Drier
Vacuum puffing and
dehydration
Tunnel belt drier
Belt-trough drier
In Natural Drying, there is no control over humidity, air flow, and temperature, meanwhile
the opposite is true for Mechanical Drying.
REFERENCES:
Adeyeye, S.A.O., Ashaolu, T.J. and Babu, A.S. (2022) “Food Drying: A Review,” Agricultural
Reviews [Preprint], (Of). Available at: https://doi.org/10.18805/ag.r-2537.
FDNT 221: Types of Drying (no date). Available at:
http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=19474.
Guiné, R. and Dets, C. (2018) “The Drying of Foods and Its Effect on the Physical-Chemical,