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Beef jerky samples immersed in brine or water, both with and without ultrasound treatment were dried at 60 °C for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240 min. Drying behaviour was evaluated using ten drying kinetic models and hyperspectral imaging. All samples reached water activity values (Aw) < 0.85 during the first 90 min of drying. Moisture content (MC) of beef jerky was predicted using near infrared hyperspectral imaging and chemometrics. Partial least squares regression, band selection and spectral pre-treatments were applied to develop MC prediction models using beef jerky spectra. Most of the MC prediction models developed in this work had RPD values >4, indicating their suitability for process control applications. The best performing MC prediction models for the non-ultrasound and ultrasound treated samples were developed using the ensemble Monte Carlo variable selection (EMCVS) on second derivative of log(1/R) spectra and EMCVS-selectivity ratio on linear detrended log (1/R) spectra, respectively. This study demonstrated the potential of NIR-HSI and chemometrics as a PAT tool for drying of beef jerky. • Application of NIR hyperspectral imaging to predict beef jerky moisture content. • Band selection and spectral pre-treatments improved moisture prediction models. • Effect of ultrasound on drying kinetics of beef jerky demonstrated. • Hyperspectral imaging is suitable for process control of beef jerky processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]