Hot air drying

Drying is an efficient way to reduce moisture content and water activity for food preservation. Most fruits, vegetable and food materials are dried to different extents in terms of product identification.

Hot air drying is probably the most common method of industrial food drying. It is one such method in which the solid to be dried is exposed to continuously flowing of stream of air where moisture evaporates. When mechanical dehydrators are used, the product is placed on meal mesh belts in a tunnel, or in a cabinet on trays where controlled, elevate temperatures are used.

Heated air circulated by blowers and the air temperature, relative humidity and air velocity are controlled.

Hot air drying employs a heater to raise the temperature and increase the energy content of the drying air. Saturated or superheated steam and electrical heating devices are always the major heat sources.
Hot air drying