Dehydrated products at low temperature

Convective drying at low temperatures (between 20 and -15 ºC) represents a moderate-cost alternative for obtaining high-quality dehydrated products compared to conventional lyophilization processes. The objective of its development was initially its use for the production of vegetables and dehydrated fruits, but its usefulness has been contrasted with a wide range of products: meat, fish, microalgae, and by-products of animal and vegetable origin. In addition, it can also be used to remove not only water but also other solvents that are retained in a solid matrix, such as organic solvents used in extraction processes. Strategies have been developed to improve the drying speed based on pretreatments or the use of new technologies for the intensification of dehydration.