Trends in microwave-related drying of fruits and vegetables

Microwave (MW)-related (MW-assisted or MW-enhanced) combination drying is a rapid dehydration technique that can be applied to specific foods, particularly to fruits and vegetables. Increasing concerns over product quality and production costs have motivated the researchers to investigate and the industry to adopt combination drying technologies. The advantages of MW-related combination drying include the following: shorter drying time, improved product quality, and flexibility in producing a wide variety of dried products. But current applications are limited to small categories of fruits and vegetables due to high start-up costs and relatively complicated technology as compared to conventional convection drying. MW-related combination drying takes advantages of conventional drying methods and microwave heating, leading to better processes than MW drying alone. This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent progresses in MW-related combined drying research and recommendations for future research to bridge the gap between laboratory research and industrial applications.