Food & Feed Drying Technology

Drying is amongst the most commonly utilised operations in food and feed processing, as well as in other process industries. It is also one of the most energy-intensive, therefore making it a significant operation with respect to both processing cost and carbon footprint. In many instances, if the dryer is producing suitable product, it tends to be ignored. Typically, many industrial drying processes are performing, but not well. These deficiencies may be with respect to energy efficiency or production efficiency, or with respect to product quality and consistency. If we take the time to understand our drying processes, we often find significant opportunities for improving productivity. This text draws on the wide industry experience of the two authors, gained over decades across a wide range of products, industries, and drying technologies. Relevant theoretical background is presented, but with a practical focus - describing tools which can be used in industry to understand, analyse, and improve drying processes. It includes worked examples - from the authors' practical experience - to demonstrate how these tools can be applied.