A method and apparatus for drying foodstuffs of plant or animal origin that includes introducing the foodstuffs to be dried into a drying chamber for drying and heating the foodstuffs to a temperature which causes an evaporation of water contained in the foodstuffs until the amount of water contained in the foodstuffs is reduced to a predetermined value indicating that the foodstuffs are dried. The heating of the foodstuffs is performed by generating an oscillating magnetic field such that prior to said heating, the pressure inside said drying chamber is reduced to a predetermined value below atmospheric pressure.