Status and Needs in Drying Technology for the Food and Pharmaceutical Industry

Drying is an important process technology for both the food and pharmaceutical industries. However, despite their common interest in processing and their usage of biological and organic materials there have been little overlap or exchange of ideas and methods. This paper probes the significance and requirements of drying in each industry and identifies divergent and convergent interests. Areas of relative strength and weaknesses in the applied science of each industry is presented, together with some issues of current or future synergy and mutual benefit. An overview of the current state of knowledge in foods is presented, together with suggestions for borrowing or co-developing materials science and measurement techniques from each of the industries.