Research Progress Regarding Heat and Mass Transfer Characteristics of Agricultural Products Under Different Drying Methods, and Associated Applications: A Review

Drying is a key operation for extending the shelf life of agricultural products and maintaining food quality, and its efficiency and product outcomes are governed by coupled heat and mass transfer. This review critically summarizes the mechanisms, technological characteristics, research methods and application prospects of agricultural-product drying from a heat- and mass-transfer perspective. The moisture-migration pathways, including surface evaporation, internal diffusion, capillary flow, vapor diffusion and bound-water desorption, are first discussed within a porous-medium framework. Governing equations based on Fourier’s law, Fick’s law, energy conservation and convective transfer are then introduced to clarify the theoretical basis of drying models. Typical convective, radiative, conductive and combined drying technologies are compared in terms of transfer mechanisms, drying efficiency, energy consumption, product-quality retention, carbon-footprint potential and industrial feasibility. Particular attention is given to the effects of drying-induced heat and mass transfer on color, texture, rehydration, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and microstructure. Current theoretical, experimental, numerical and data-driven research methods are further reviewed, and the limitations of existing studies are identified, including simplified homogeneous assumptions, insufficient model validation, limited quantitative comparison and weak scale-up applicability. Finally, future directions are proposed, including refined multi-scale and multi-field coupled models, advanced in situ characterization, multi-energy-field synergistic drying, digital twins, predictive modeling and multi-objective intelligent optimization. This review aims to provide a more mechanism-based and application-oriented reference for developing efficient, low-carbon and quality-preserving drying systems for agricultural products.