In recent years, with the rise of cold storage facilities, many fruit and vegetable growers and distributors have started building cold storage facilities. This is for short-term turnover and preservation of fruits and vegetables or for long-term off-season controlled atmosphere cold storage. Previously, without proper preservation after harvest, fresh fruits and vegetables would rot and spoil within a short time. Additionally, the price during the peak season would be relatively low. With the advent of cold storage facilities, these problems have been improved.
What type of cold storage is needed for storing, for instance, fresh vegetables and fruits? Which type has the longest shelf life?
1. Fresh-keeping cold storage
Currently, the cold storage used for storing a variety of vegetables and fruits is the fresh-keeping cold storage, with a temperature range of 0℃ to +15℃. It can store vegetables for several weeks or even several months. Leafy green vegetables have a shorter storage time, while root vegetables have a longer storage time, such as potatoes, onions, and carrots. Fresh-keeping cold storage facilitates short-term storage and product turnover. Plus, its construction cost is relatively low.
2. Controlled Atmosphere Cold Storage
Fruit and vegetable controlled atmosphere cold storage can store fresh fruits and vegetables for several months, making it suitable for off-season sales. However, it has high requirements for storage technology. Also, controlled atmosphere cold storage is a whole-in, whole-out system, so the construction cost of controlled atmosphere cold storage is relatively high. Generally, the construction scale is within 300-1200 cubic meters per room. If the scale is too small, the cost per square meter is high.
3. Quick-freezing cold storage
The freeze-drying process for many fruits and vegetables requires a -35°C quick-freezing cold storage or tunnel. Place slices or fresh produce directly into this unit to achieve rapid freezing. Then, transfer the frozen product to a -18°C freezer for preservation for up to one year.However, this type is suitable for food processing plants because the investment cost is relatively large. Also, the daily production volume is very large.
4. Drying Room
Most of the dried fruits, dried vegetables and other foods we usually buy are dried in drying rooms at 80-100℃. These drying rooms are generally small in scale and suitable for enterprise use. The storage time after drying varies depending on the type of fruit or vegetable.
In summary, controlled atmosphere cold storage is a time-consuming but costly method for storing fresh fruits and vegetables. Ordinary cold storage is the standard choice. Meanwhile, quick-freezing cold storage and drying rooms are more suitable for processing plants and other businesses.
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