The present invention relates to a method of dehydrating a comminuted food
product containing at least 30 wt. % of water, the method comprising: (i)
comminuting a food product to form a slurry; (ii) contacting the obtained
slurry with a pressurised gas to reduce the water content of said slurry
by at least 50%, said pressurised gas having a pressure of at least
0.5xPc and a temperature of at least Tc-60.degree. C., wherein Pc
represents the critical pressure and Tc represents the critical
temperature of the gas, whereby the pressurised gas is dried by removal
of water contained therein and the dried pressurised gas thus obtained is
recirculated to the slurry, wherein at least 80 wt. %, preferably at
least 90 wt. % of the matter removed by the pressurised gas is water, and
(iii) separating the pressurised gas from the dehydrated slurry.