## 1 Introduction  
Food security is a global concern, especially due to the rapid growth of the world population and uncertainties surrounding the future food supply. In addition to population increases, issues such as the growing consumer awareness regarding nutritional quality and food safety, climate change, and the depletion of natural resources further complicate the challenge of ensuring food availability [1; 2].  
Drying is crucial for extending the shelf life of food, aiming to reduce the moisture content to a safe level where both microbial growth and moisture-related deterioration reactions are minimized [3]. It is a key step for food storage, and it also contributes to reducing transportation and storage costs. Examples include spray drying, spray chilling, freeze-drying, and vacuum drying [4].  
Additionally, hot-air or convective drying is widely used due to its low cost and simple operation [5; 6]. Despite its extensive use, this technique is associated with the degradation of physical, structural, and chemical characteristics of food products, including the appearance, porosity, texture, microstructure, color, and the presence of bioactive compounds. It also presents challenges related to energy consumption due to long processing times [3; 7; 8; 9].  
Therefore, strategies to mitigate these effects are essential to maintain product quality. The development of more efficient drying technologies is important to ensure the production of safe foods with a high nutritional and sensory quality, an increased production capacity, reduced drying times, the establishment of economically and environmentally sustainable processes, the minimization of environmental pollution, waste reduction, lower energy costs, operational control feasibility, safety considerations, and the use of combined drying techniques [4].  
It is crucial to develop alternative drying methods that not only improve process efficiency but also preserve bioactive compounds and the structure of foods, meeting market demands for high-quality products [8; 10]. Bioactive compounds present in foods play an essential role in health, helping to maintain the body balance and prevent diseases. The main ones include phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins, as well as organic acids and vitamins. Their consumption may provide health benefits due to antioxidant, cytotoxic, and disease-preventive effects against cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer [11].  
The integration of new technologies in food processing aims to improve both sustainability and efficiency while ensuring microbiological safety and extending product shelf life. These technologies also seek to minimize changes in nutritional quality and flavor [12]. Such innovations focus on reducing the degradation of thermosensitive components, preserving the sensory and nutritional characteristics of foods compared to conventional methods [10].  
This study aims to identify, through a bibliometric analysis and systematic review, the most promising emerging technologies for food drying developed over the last ten years, as well as their specific impacts on thermosensitive bioactive compounds. This study evaluates the effectiveness of these technologies, their impact on the preservation of bioactive compounds, and the final quality of dried products. In addition, it identifies challenges and opportunities for sustainable industrial implementation and outlines directions for future research in this innovative field.