Recent trends in drying technologies for retention of nutritional/functional quality of litchi: A review

Abstract

Litchi is a popular sub-tropical fruit known for its unique aroma, flavour, and rich nutritional value. Drying is a widely used preservation method that helps reduce post-harvest losses and extend shelf life. With the growing demand for dried fruits, greater attention is needed to maintain quality standards. Since most fruits have high moisture content and are highly perishable, drying is essential to ensure year-round availability and distribution to regions where they are not cultivated. Beyond preservation, dehydration also reduces the weight and volume of the product, leading to lower costs in packaging, handling, and transportation. However, drying can affect the physical, sensory, nutritional, and microbiological properties of fruits. Conventional convective drying, while commonly used, is time-consuming and directly impacts the final product’s quality. This review examines the limitations of existing litchi drying techniques and explores potential strategies to enhance the quality of dried litchi by integrating multiple drying methods.