Automation in Food Drying System – A Review

Authors Mr. Atharva Wadekar, Ms. Janhavi Shinde, Mr. Om Shingade, Mr. Sujal Patade

Abstract— quality, which can happen at various stages—from

harvesting to storage. When preservation techniques fail, the
Keywords— consequences can range from minor issues, like changes in
color, to serious problems, such as food becoming unsafe to
eat.
A. Food

Food is any substance consumed by an organism for

nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or
fungal origin and contains essential nutrients such as
carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals.

B. Food Deterioration
Food deterioration is defined as a process that renders a Credits: gubbahomestead

product unacceptable or undesirable for consumption and is

the result of the biochemical activity of microbial D. Introduction to Food Drying
populations that predominate in the product.
Food drying is one of the oldest and most effective methods
of preserving food. It is a method of food preservation that
involves removing moisture from food to prevent the growth
of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, and mold. By
reducing water content, drying slows down the natural
spoilage process, extending the shelf life of food. This
Credits: kellyschaotickitchen technique not only helps in preserving food for longer
periods but also reduces its weight and volume, making it
C. Need of Food Preservation easier to store and transport.

Food drying offers several advantages over traditional

Food preservation is important for several reasons. It helps
preservation methods:
manage food production and storage by ensuring crops are
grown in the right places, at the right times, and in the right
1. Longer Shelf Life: Drying removes moisture, which helps
amounts. Simple preservation techniques can extend food
prevent bacterial growth and spoilage, extending the shelf
shelf life, reduce waste, and maintain a steady supply.
life of food much longer than traditional methods like
Preservation also allows the creation of value-added
refrigeration.
products, which offer better nutrition, convenience, and
taste. Consumer demand for healthier and more convenient
2. Reduced Storage Space: Dried food takes up less space
food options drives these methods. A varied diet is
compared to fresh food, making it more convenient for
important, especially in underdeveloped areas, to reduce
storage, especially in smaller spaces.
reliance on basic grains like rice or wheat.
3. Taste Differences: Traditional preservation methods like
When it comes to food preservation, several factors must be
pickling can alter the flavor of food, giving it a tangy or sour
taken into account:
taste. In contrast, drying preserves the natural taste and
texture of the food without significant flavor changes
The desired quality level
The intended duration of storage
4. Preserved Nutrients: Proper drying techniques can help
The target audience for the preserved products
retain more nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, compared
to methods like canning, which can destroy some nutrients.
Over time, preserved food can lose its quality, eventually
becoming unsuitable for consumption, which signifies the
5. Energy Efficiency: Drying, especially with modern
end of its shelf life. Quality refers to how well the food
methods like solar or microwave drying, can be more
meets consumer expectations and is a dynamic concept
energy-efficient than refrigeration or freezing over long
shaped by factors such as appearance, taste, and microbial
periods
safety. Preservation methods aim to slow down the loss of

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E. Food Drying Methods

There are several food drying methods that effectively

preserve food for extended periods. These methods help
Credits: sjrfood
maintain food quality while preventing spoilage and nutrient
loss. There are various food drying methods which help in
preserving the food for longer duration as follows: 4. Spray Drying

1. Sun Drying Spray drying is a process that converts liquid or slurry

Sun drying involves placing food in direct sunlight for into dry powder by rapidly drying it with hot gas,
several days to remove moisture naturally. The warmth commonly used in industries like food,
and airflow from the sun, combined with low humidity, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. The liquid feed is
help to dehydrate the food. This is a slow process, often atomized into fine droplets, which are exposed to hot air
requiring several days, and is typically done on trays, in a drying chamber. The moisture evaporates quickly,
nets, or mats. To protect food from pests or leaving solid particles that are then collected. This
contamination, it's often covered with a cloth. method is ideal for heat-sensitive materials, producing
uniform powders, though it requires high energy and
specialized equipment.

Credits: Alamy Stock Photo

2. Heat Pumping
Credits: Jiangsu Tayacn Drying Technolgy Co., Ltd.
A heat pump food dryer is a closed-loop system that
heats air to remove moisture from food and reuses the
air without significant heat loss. Unlike traditional F. Newly Emerging Food Drying Methods
drying methods, it doesn't require ventilation, making it
more adaptable. It consumes up less energy than freeze 1. Dielectric Heating
drying, helping to preserve nutrients, flavor, and texture
while maintaining food quality. Slower than other Dielectric heating in food drying uses electromagnetic
drying methods, and the equipment can be moderately waves, such as radio frequency (RF) or microwaves, to
costly. prone to loss of heat sensitive vitamins. rapidly remove moisture from food. This method generates
heat directly within the food by causing water molecules to
oscillate, resulting in efficient and uniform drying. Unlike
conventional drying methods, dielectric heating can
penetrate deeper into the food, reducing drying time and
minimizing nutrient loss. It is particularly useful for drying
heat-sensitive foods, as it allows for lower drying
temperatures while maintaining product quality.

Credits: A. R. Foods

3. Freeze Drying (Lyophilization)

Freeze drying removes moisture from food by freezing it

and then lowering the pressure to allow the frozen water to Credits: Food Tech Notes
sublimate directly into vapor. This method preserves food
without damaging its cellular structure, retaining nutrients, 2. Ultra Sound Assisted Food Drying
flavor, and texture. It's particularly suitable for preserving
high-value products like fruits, vegetables, and Ultrasound-assisted food drying is a technique that
pharmaceuticals. uses high-frequency sound waves to enhance
moisture removal, making the process faster and
 more energy-efficient. By generating microscopic
cavitation bubbles, it improves water diffusion
without significantly raising the temperature,
making it ideal for heat-sensitive foods. This
method not only accelerates drying but also helps
Credits: MildDry
retain the nutritional value, color, and texture of the
food. It can be used as a pre-treatment or integrated
into drying processes, offering a superior G. Need of Automation in Food Drying
alternative to traditional methods with reduced
drying time and improved product quality. Automation in food drying improves efficiency, consistency,
and scalability in the food industry. Traditional methods
often rely on manual labor, leading to inconsistent quality.
Automated systems provide precise control over
temperature, humidity, and airflow, ensuring even drying
and reducing spoilage. They also optimize energy use and
cut labor costs, making them essential for large-scale
operations. Additionally, automation supports advanced
Credits: SONIMAT
drying methods like heat pump, boosting efficiency and
lowering costs. As the demand for high-quality, shelf-stable
3. Infrared Dryer foods grows, automation is key to meeting production needs
and ensuring sustainability.
Infrared (IR) drying uses IR radiation to directly
heat polymer granules or flakes, causing internal
H. Inclusion of Automation
heating and molecular oscillation. This process
drives moisture from inside the granule into a
Automation in food dryers can be implemented using
surrounding stream of cooler air, which carries it
sensors, controllers, and automated systems that control
away. The temperature difference between the
temperature, humidity, and airflow. Sensors can track the
vaporized moisture and the ambient air creates a moisture content of food, allowing the system to adjust
partial pressure gradient, providing a strong driving drying conditions automatically for the best results.
force for efficient moisture removal. Programmable controllers (PLCs) can manage the drying
process, ensuring consistency and accuracy. Automation can
also simplify tasks like loading and unloading, reducing the
need for manual labor and increasing efficiency.
Additionally, data logging features can track performance,
helping to optimize energy use and improve product quality
over time.

Credits: FoodTechProcess

4. Vacuum Microwave Drying

Vacuum microwave drying (VMD) combines

Credits: PacIndia
microwave heating with a vacuum environment to
efficiently remove moisture from food. The
microwaves generate internal heat by causing water
molecules to oscillate, while the vacuum lowers the I. Components Needed for Automation
boiling point of water, enabling rapid evaporation
at lower temperatures. This method ensures
uniform drying, preserves heat-sensitive nutrients,
and enhances product quality by minimizing
texture and color degradation ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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