About this Research Topic
Maintaining high product quality is one of the key issues in food processing industries. The selection of the process parameters and drying methods is the key determinant for the resulting quality of dried food. Simultaneous heat and mass transfers that take place during the drying process can result in changes in food structure, modification of important bioactive constituents, and changes in the appearance of the product. Most nutrients deteriorate during drying due to their thermolabile characteristics. These changes may also cause significant changes in their bioactivity and bio-accessibility. Moreover, the deterioration of textural and aesthetic quality of food during the drying process can lead to lower acceptance of dried food by consumers.
In order to maximize the retention of the fresh-like quality in dried foods, an understanding of the physicochemical changes during drying is essential, as this will eventually help the researchers to design the optimum drying process. Although extensive research has been carried out on the quality aspect of dried food, there are very few studies that adequately cover the approach to tackling the problem of quality deterioration during drying. Approaches such as the optimization of drying conditions, incorporation of appropriate pre-treatment, implementation of nanotechnology, and integration of artificial intelligence in real-time quality monitoring systems can contribute towards maximizing quality retention in dried foods. Therefore, researchers and scientists from different fields should be encouraged to work together in this multidisciplinary research and share their knowledge of how to resolve these issues.
This Research Topic aims to establish a communication platform between food researchers, nutritionists, food producers, and others concerned with the food drying and quality. We welcome review or original research manuscripts focusing on, but are not limited to, the following themes:
• Intermittent drying approaches;
• Micro/nano-encapsulation;
• Fundamental modeling of the drying process;
• Multiscale modeling;
• Pretreatments to enhance food quality;
• Food structure-quality relationships;
• Combined/ hybrid drying methods;
• Quality prediction with mathematical modeling;
• Continuous online non-invasive quality assessment;
• Food quality and safety inspection;
• Food quality management;
• Nano-technology in enhancing food quality;
• Quality assurance and control;
• Innovative drying technology in food quality ;
• Sensory and technological quality;
• Innovative tools for quality prediction;
• Implementation of automation and artificial intelligence in quality prediction and control.
In order to maximize the retention of the fresh-like quality in dried foods, an understanding of the physicochemical changes during drying is essential, as this will eventually help the researchers to design the optimum drying process. Although extensive research has been carried out on the quality aspect of dried food, there are very few studies that adequately cover the approach to tackling the problem of quality deterioration during drying. Approaches such as the optimization of drying conditions, incorporation of appropriate pre-treatment, implementation of nanotechnology, and integration of artificial intelligence in real-time quality monitoring systems can contribute towards maximizing quality retention in dried foods. Therefore, researchers and scientists from different fields should be encouraged to work together in this multidisciplinary research and share their knowledge of how to resolve these issues.
This Research Topic aims to establish a communication platform between food researchers, nutritionists, food producers, and others concerned with the food drying and quality. We welcome review or original research manuscripts focusing on, but are not limited to, the following themes:
• Intermittent drying approaches;
• Micro/nano-encapsulation;
• Fundamental modeling of the drying process;
• Multiscale modeling;
• Pretreatments to enhance food quality;
• Food structure-quality relationships;
• Combined/ hybrid drying methods;
• Quality prediction with mathematical modeling;
• Continuous online non-invasive quality assessment;
• Food quality and safety inspection;
• Food quality management;
• Nano-technology in enhancing food quality;
• Quality assurance and control;
• Innovative drying technology in food quality ;
• Sensory and technological quality;
• Innovative tools for quality prediction;
• Implementation of automation and artificial intelligence in quality prediction and control.
Keywords: Food quality, nutrition, food structure, drying condition optimization, quality prediction model, nano-technology, automation
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
