in order to avoid product burning during the pulsed puffing period, which is based on a combination of high energy input for a short time with a spontaneous temperature rise. The third MVD period is characterized by a continuous product weight decrease with a moderate drying rate and increased temperature of 37 C. During the last period (period 4) the energy input was low, the product weight decreased only slightly, while the product temperature rose continuously to 50 C (maximum). During the whole MVD process the slices lost 87.3% of the start weight