Using of graphene nanomaterials for energy saving and emission reduction in food drying: A review

In recent years, energy consumption and environmental problems in the food drying industry have become increasingly serious. To realize green and sustainable food drying, practitioners have made a lot of attempts. Graphene nanomaterials, with their ultra-high thermal conductivity, broad-spectrum photothermal conversion efficiency, and controllable adsorption characteristics, provide an innovative path to break through the bottleneck in the field of food drying. In this study, the unique properties of graphene nanomaterials and their potential applications in the food drying industry are systematically described for the first time. In addition, the various synthetic pathways of graphene and its various derivatives are summarized in detail, and based on life cycle analysis, the potential of graphene technology to reduce the environmental impact of the food drying industry by improving energy efficiency is evaluated. Finally, the challenges and solutions for the integration of graphene nanomaterials in the food drying industry are presented. Integration of graphene technology in food drying can significantly reduce heat loss in the drying process, improve energy utilization efficiency and heat and mass transfer efficiency, improve product quality, and reduce carbon emissions. The development of innovative technologies based on graphene nanomaterials in food drying has enormous potential environmental and economic benefits. ● Graphene nanomaterials can enhance heat transfer and reduce thermal accumulation of equipment and heat loss from the process. ● Graphene-based high-precision sensors have great potential in smart food drying. ● Renewable energy driven food drying based on graphene technology is the trend. ● Green synthetic graphene in conjunction with food drying is an innovative model to reduce environmental impact.