Advances in Computational Fluid Dynamics of Mechanical Processes in Food Engineering: Mixing, Extrusion, Drying, and Process Optimization  
[PERSON]  
1 Department of Technique and Food Development, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SCGW, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland; [PERSON].B. ); [PERSON]A.S.); [PERSON]; [PERSON](A.P.) [PERSON]  
2 Division of Food Industry Processes and Facilities, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Radavloka Street, 15-17, 75-620 Koszalin, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.C.); [PERSON].M. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Z.D. ); [PERSON]T.R. ); [PERSON](J.-S.)  
2 Division of Food Industry Processes and Facilities, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Radavloka Street, 15-17, 75-620 Koszalin, Poland; [PERSON] (A.C.); [PERSON].M. ); [PERSON]. ); [PERSON]T.R. ); [PERSON](J.-S.)  
2 Division of Food Industry Processes and Facilities, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Radavloka Street, 15-17, 75-620 Koszalin, Poland; [PERSON] (A.C.); [PERSON].C. ); [PERSON].M. ); [PERSON]. ); [PERSON]T.R. ); [PERSON](J.-S.)  
2 Division of Food Industry Processes and Facilities, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Radavloka Street, 15-17, 75-620 Koszalin, Poland; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.C.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (S.M. ); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (Z.D. ); tomasz.rynon-Newtonian, viscoelastic, or multiphase behavior. Traditional design and optimization approaches--relying primarily on empirical correlations or pilot-scale experimentation--frequently prove inadequate when applied to novel formulations, high-value ingredients, or non-conventional equipment geometries. As a result, there is growing demand for predictive, flexible, and cost-effective modeling tools capable of supporting innovation in both product and process development [3, 4]. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has emerged as a powerful and versatile tool in food engineering, offering detailed insights into fluid flow, heat and mass transfer, shear stress distribution, and material deformation. Although CFD has been extensively applied in the context of thermal processes--such as pasteurization, sterilization, and baking--its use in mechanical unit operations, including mixing and extrusion, represents a rapidly expanding area of research and industrial application [4, 5]. Over the past two decades, a growing number of studies have demonstrated the value of CFD for virtual experimentation, process optimization, and scale-up, significantly reducing dependence on costly and time-consuming pilot trials. Furthermore, the integration of CFD with complementary numerical techniques--such as the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM)--has extended its applicability to systems involving complex particle-fluid interactions and deformable food matrices [5]. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive and structured overview of CFD applications in mechanical food processing, with a particular focus on three critical operations: mixing, extrusion, and drying. These unit operations were selected due to their technical complexity, their central role in food structure formation, and the increasing volume of CFD-based research dedicated to their simulation and optimization. This review paper aims to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of advancements in CFD and mechanical process modeling applied to food engineering, with a specific focus on mixing, extrusion, and drying operations. The literature search was systematically conducted across major scientific databases, including, but not limited to, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.