Drying apples in an ion wind
High-tech solutions for age-old processes.
Fruit can also be dried using positively charged ions. | Image: Anna Quaglia/Alamy
Researchers at Empa are currently developing a new method for drying fruit. They place pieces on a lattice between two electrodes and apply a voltage. This generates a wind of positively charged ions that in turn remove the moisture in the fruit. The team’s theoretical calculations have now confirmed the results of their experiments: this method is significantly more energy-efficient and quicker than drying by heat. It is also gentler on the nutrients in the fruit.
