# Influence of Electrohydrodynamics on the Drying Characteristics and Volatile Components of Ginger
## 1 Introduction  
Ginger is a perennial herbaceous rhizome of the _zingleraceae_ with a distinct pungent flavor that is grown extensively in China and comes in a range of types. Ginger is a dual-use herb that has been utilized in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) since ancient times. It has various medical and food properties, including warming the belly, halting vomiting, expelling colds, and purifying and stopping bleeding and pain [1]. Modern research has discovered that ginger includes a few minerals and functional compounds, such as curcumin, ginger oleoresin, ginger polysaccharides, ginger protease, and others, which have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiplatelet, and antioxidant properties [2]. But fresh ginger has a high water content. It is susceptible to rot and deterioration, making it difficult to store and transport for an extended time. Drying can effectively reduce ginger's moisture content while inhibiting microbe growth and reproduction, extending its shelf life. Furthermore, drying can improve ginger's taste and flavor while increasing its processing adaptability. Ginger drying techniques now encompass several processes, including natural drying, hot air drying, microwave drying, infrared radiation drying, and vacuum freeze-drying. Each approach has distinct advantages and applications, but there are certain drawbacks and challenges [3]. Although natural drying is less expensive, it is heavily influenced by weather conditions and has a low drying efficiency [4]. Hot air drying is simple to use, but it wastes a lot of energy and makes it difficult to keep ginger's original color. Microwave drying and associated technologies are widely employed in the field of fruit and vegetable dry processing due to their advantages, such as rapid heating, ease of control, safety, and cleanliness [5]. Infrared radiation drying is more efficient, produces a higher quality product, and is better suited to the protection of heat-sensitive materials than conventionaldrying technologies. Furthermore, infrared radiation drying has no emissions, pollution, or environmental impact and is increasingly demonstrating green energy-saving benefits. However, the price is considerable and it is not ideal for large-scale drying [6]. Vacuum freeze-drying refers to the process wherein the material is frozen to below the eutectic point temperature in a vacuum state so that the water sublimates from the solid state to the gaseous state, resulting in a loose porous dry product. This method maximizes the preservation of the material's color, aroma, taste, shape, and active ingredient activity but requires expensive equipment [7]. Therefore, developing innovative drying techniques with cheap equipment cost, high drying rate, and good nutritional value is crucial. The introduction of electrohydrodynamic drying technology solves this problem [8]. Electrohydrodynamic drying is a convective drying technology that effectively removes moisture from the product. Electrohydrodynamic drying has an electrode on the top and bottom; the upper electrode is connected to the power supply and is called the emitting electrode, and the lower plate is grounded and is called the grounding electrode. The potential difference between the electrodes directly affects the drying rate of the sample. When using electrohydrodynamic drying materials, a high voltage is passed through, the needle plate electrode discharge increases, and the surrounding air is ionized, which is known as \"corona wind\" or \"ion wind\" [9]. In conclusion, this method accelerates the charged ions by means of an upper and lower voltage difference, causing a forced convection of the ions. The primary factors influencing the effectiveness of the drying process are the dimensions of the electrodes, the intensity of the electric field, and the distance between the electrodes [10]. [PERSON] et al. examined the electrohydrodynamic drying and hot air drying of quintec slices and discovered that electrohydrodynamic drying consumed half the energy of hot air drying [11]. [PERSON] et al.