Drying of food industry and agricultural waste: Current scenario and future perspectives

Abstract

Food and agricultural industries contribute a massive amount of organic waste, rich in bioactive molecules, including various proteins, fatty acids, carbohydrates, enzymes and many other biomolecules. With increasing emphasis on waste reduction, bio-based product development, and the provision of nutrition for all, these resources are being exploited for nutraceutical extraction, nutrient recovery for food fortification, and bioplastic production, among many other valorized applications. Transportation and storage are essential parts of all these enterprises, for which drying can be beneficial through reduction of cost of transportation and increased shelf-life. However, the processing and drying of these materials can be challenging, due to the inherent physicochemical properties of these biomaterials and the nonexistence of an industrial setup for handling waste. Complicacy of the concepts and technologies for applying these materials can also vary in regions around the world, depending on local agricultural and food industry practices. This manuscript will focus on these issues and discuss some of the techniques to deal with them in the current scenario, along with possible future perspectives relevant to the food industries.