A dimensionless analysis for the detailed equations of heat and mass transfer during food drying was developed. This analysis was carried out in tenser form of equations. Some reported and non-reported dimensionless groups were deduced. The dimensionless groups were used to estimate the mechanisms that control heat and mass transfer during food drying. Experimental moisture and temperature evolution during manila mango slices drying were carried out in order to make a comparison with theoretical analysis, The theoretical analysis and experimental drying kinetics showed that in mango the temperature evolution is controlled by heat convection in the food-air interface, and moisture loss is controlled by water diffusion in the interior of food. These controlling mechanisms were observed by other authors in foods with similar transport and thermodynamic properties as mango. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.