Drying is a key method for food preservation; however, conventional techniques often lead to the degradation of bioactive compounds, compromising nutritional quality. This systematic review, following the PRISMA protocol, examines emerging food drying technologies designed to enhance process efficiency while preserving nutritional and functional properties. A bibliometric analysis was conducted to identify research trends from 2014 to 2024. Searches were performed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases accessed on 17 January 2025, including only original research articles published in English focusing on food drying applications. Reviews, editorials, and studies unrelated to the food sector were excluded. Due to the technological nature of the outcomes, a formal risk of bias assessment was not applicable. This review highlights several emerging drying technologies, such as microwave, radiofrequency, infrared, ultrasound, freeze-drying, and cold plasma. The qualitative synthesis indicates these technologies improve the retention of phenolics, flavonoids, and vitamins, thus enhancing nutritional stability. Nevertheless, challenges remain in industrial-scale implementation, particularly regarding the economic feasibility and optimization of operational parameters. This review received no funding and was not registered in any public database. The findings underscore the need for continued research to develop sustainable and functional dried food products that meet current market demands and consumer expectations.

Osmotic dehydration (OD) process, as a pretreatment for drying, can be used to enrich mangoes with a solute of interest and improve the nutritional and sensory values of this dried fruit. The research aimed to obtain dried mangoes enriched with isomaltulose. The incorporation of isomaltulose in mango ( Tommy Atkins ) slices was performed by ultrasound‐assisted osmotic dehydration (UAOD). Then, the treated mango was convectively dried (60°C and 1.5 m/s). The incorporation of isomaltulose at 20 min was maximum (≈ 5% solids gain) and did not differ from experiments with the longer time. Firmness, color, ascorbic acid, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity did not differ between the mangoes subjected to UAOD and the fresh ones. After drying, the treated samples presented lower water activity, higher firmness, volumetric shrinkage, and total color difference. Similar bioactive compound content was found among treated and untreated dried samples except for the carotenoids, which were lower in the treated samples. Thin‐layer drying kinetics models demonstrated excellent fits to the experimental data ( R ² ≥ 0.984, RMSE ≤ 0.0399, and χ ² ≤ 1.7 × 10 ⁻³ ), and the Page model, considered simple and widely used for the drying kinetics of fruits, was used to construct the curves. The sorption isotherms behavior evidenced that the incorporation of isomaltulose by ultrasound resulted in a less hygroscopic product. Practical Application : This research has potential applications in the food industry, particularly in creating healthier mango snacks with a reduced glycemic index by incorporating isomaltulose. The process also helps retain essential bioactive compounds and enhances product stability during storage, making it an appealing option for consumers looking for nutritious choices and for producers aiming to maintain the quality of dried foods.