The drying characteristics of wheat treated by a high voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) were investigated in this study. The drying rate of wheat in a HVEF was significantly higher than that of a control for various drying temperatures and electric field strengths. A Multiple points-to-plate corona discharge electrode of HVEF improved the average drying rate by 2.1, 2.0, and 1.7 respectively for 10, 7.5, and 5 kV/cm electric field strength compared with the values of the corresponding air-dried control samples. Drying enhancement by a HVEF at lower drying temperature was more marked than that at higher temperature. The drying rate increased when the voltage increased and the discharge gap decreased. The power consumption was very small with the current of a few microamperes. A regression model to describe the drying characteristics of wheat treated by a HVEF was developed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.