Dr. A. K.

Datta
Professor

Review of DRYING TECHNOLOGIES FOR FOODS: FUNDAMENTALS AND APPLICATIONS

Drying Technologies for Foods: Fundamentals and Applications is a reference book edited by Dr.
Prabhat Kumar Nema, Ms. Barjinder Pal Kaur and Prof. Arun S. Mujumdar. The book is a welcome
addition to the library of drying technologies. What makes this book stand out in a rather crowded
drying literature is its focus on the recent advances in drying processes. In fifteen Chapters the editors
have been able to cover many pathbreaking drying processes, which are currently under investigation
in various laboratories of the world.

The book starts with the basics of drying fundamentals, followed by Professor Mujumdar’s
contribution on the classification and selection of industrial dryers. Recent advances in osmotic
dehydration are given adequate coverage in Chapter 3. Various models of data fitment in osmotic
dehydration are also addressed. Spray drying is the topic of comprehensive coverage in Chapter 4.
Reaction engineering approach (REA) modeling has been given its due place of importance amongst
the recent trends in spray drying technology. Principles and prospects of microwave drying are
discussed in Chapters 5 and 6. Hybrid drying based on microwave get a thorough coverage in the sixth
Chapter. Superheated steam drying, an original contribution of Professor Mujumdar, is introduced in
Chapter 7. Operating principle, classification and configuration of heat pump dryer are given very
lucid treatments along with coverage of models and exergy analysis in chapter 8. Grain drying
theory, practices and developments are covered in chapter 9 outlining classical drying theories of thin
layer and deep bed drying. Sun drying, bin drying, recirculatory dryer, continuous flow dryer, fluid
bed dryer, pneumatic dryer and belt dryers are discussed. Recent advances of applications of
superheated steam drying, heat pump drying, infrared drying, microwave drying, radiofrequency
drying, electrohydrodynamic drying as these apply to grains also got look ins. Solar drying and solar
tunnel drying are the focus of Chapters 10 and 11, respectively. Simple heat and mass transfer models
are applied to solar drying. Solar tunnel dryer has been shown to dry leafy vegetables and grapes.
Chapter 12 outlines a new method of drying, namely impingement drying where vegetables, fruits,
herbs, foods etc. are dried using high velocity air impinging on the products to reduce the thermal
boundary layer, resulting in increase of heat and mass transfer coefficients. In chapter 13 empirical
and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling has been given its due place of importance for analyses
of drying data. Computational modeling techniques based on finite difference, finite element and
finite volume methods have been covered in chapter 14. Shrinkage and porosity effects on potato
drying, airflow pattern and particle trajectories in spray drying have got prominence in case studies
here. The concluding Chapter summarizes the advances in food drying by covering what had been left
in other Chapters.
The book is an excellent overview of the state - of – the - art in food drying and each section of the
book gives ample scope for embarking on more insightful journey. I am sure this book will make its
mark in the library of drying technologies. I congratulate the editors for taking the time and effort in
compiling a book of this nature. I wish the book a resounding success.

Kharagpur: January 1, 2015 (Ashis Kumar Datta)