ABSTRACT
The advances in the development and application of computer hardware, software, and electronic technologies and control systems provides strong support to fast, consistent measurements, data collection, and information analysis for solving problems in the drying industry. One of the most usable and prominent methods and technology used in the drying industry is computer vision technology. Modern real-time computer vision systems (CVSs) can be the best alternative for ill-defined processes monitoring, automating, and controlling due to its rapidness, cheapness, nondestructiveness, sensitiveness, and preciseness. The chapter reviews the current status of CVS use in fruit drying technology, with particular reference to apple and kiwifruit drying processes, and highlights the importance of applying intelligent control systems to solve food quality and energy hindrances. For extraction of quality parameters, the CVS monitoring process must be done in five steps: image acquisition, image processing, feature extraction, pattern recognition, and finally decision making.
