1.2 NEED FOR DRYING: Dehydration is an important preservation process that reduces water activity through decreasing water content, thereby preventing spoilage and potential contamination during long periods of storage. Other important objectives of food dehydration are the reduction of weight and volume, intended to reduce transport and storage costs (Celma et al., 2009; Sarimeseli, 2011; Figiel, 2010; Vega et al., 2007; Wang et al., 2007). Drying is considered not only a preservation process, but also a method to increase the added value of foods. Among food products, special attention has been paid to the drying of fruits and vegetables in order to obtain diversified products that can be included in breakfast cereals, bakery, confectionery and dairy products, soups, purees and others (Ramos et al., 2003). Drying is a very important industrial operation that accounts for 10-25% of the total energy used in the manufacturing process globally (Mujumdar and Passos, 2000). Drying is a process in which water is removed to stop or slow the growth of spoilage microorganisms. and the occurrence of chemical reactions. Dehydration plays an important role in extending the shelf life of fleshy agricultural products. In addition to preservation, drying is used to reduce the cost or difficulty of packaging, handling, storage, and transportation by transforming raw foods into a dry solid. This action reduces the weight and sometimes the volume of a food (Barbosa-Cánovas and Vega-Mercado, 1996).1.2.1 DRYING OR DEHYDRATION: Drying is one of the oldest methods of food preservation and represents a very important aspect of food preservation. food processing. The main purpose of drying products is to allow longer storage periods, minimize packaging needs and reduce shipping costs of the paper process. Therefore, the sensory and nutritional qualities of foods are effectively maintained due to the relatively short drying time and low drying temperature (Wu et al., 2007). MICROWAVE DRYING: Microwave drying is faster, more even and more energy efficient. compared to conventional hot air drying and infrared drying (Sarimeseli, 2011; Soysal et al., 2006; Duan et al., 2003; Al-Harahsheh et al., 2009). In a microwave drying system, microwave energy has internal heat generating capacity and can easily penetrate the inner layers to directly absorb moisture from the sample. The rapid absorption of energy causes rapid evaporation of water, creating a stream of rapidly escaping vapor. Thus, the thermal gradient and the humidity gradient go in the same direction (Dadali et al., 2007; Soysal et al., 2006; Wang et al..., 2007).