Food Drying - Effect of Process Conditions and Use of Renewable Energy Resources (Technology Talk)

On October 12, 2023, the NEFI Technology Talk on Drying Processes in Industry captivated a diverse and engaged audience in a dynamic online event. With over 60 enthusiastic participants, the Technology Talk, moderated by our NEFI expert Veronika Wilk (AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Center for Energy), delved into the crucial role of drying processes in industrial settings, a sector that significantly contributes to industrial energy consumption. The event featured a diverse range of perspectives from industrial experts, one of them Juma Haydary: Food Drying with a Focus on Renewable Energy: Juma Haydary from STU Bratislava addressed the energy-intensive nature of food drying and stressed the importance of reducing water activity to curb microorganism activity. He emphasized factors like temperature and air velocity in the drying process and the use of mathematical models for predicting drying kinetics. Haydary also explored indirect solar drying as a sustainable approach.