Controlled-atmosphere storage

Controlled-atmosphere storage preserves fresh produce by regulating oxygen, carbon dioxide, and sometimes other gases around it. The altered atmosphere slows respiration, ripening, and decay.

Respiration: The cellular process that releases energy by breaking down nutrients, usually using oxygen and producing carbon dioxide. Lowering oxygen slows produce respiration, reducing the rate at which stored crops consume their reserves.
Apple storage: Postharvest handling and preservation methods used to maintain apple quality before sale. Apples are commonly stored for months under carefully controlled oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.
Postharvest physiology: The study of biological processes in harvested crops and how handling affects their quality and longevity. Controlled atmospheres are one way to manage the living physiology of harvested produce.
Air storage: Storage of produce in ordinary atmospheric air without deliberate regulation of its gas composition. It provides the baseline against which controlled gas mixtures are evaluated.
Cold chain: The temperature-controlled supply chain used to preserve perishable products from production through distribution. Controlled-atmosphere shipments depend on cold-chain continuity to preserve their combined effects.
Ethylene: A plant hormone that promotes fruit ripening, aging, and responses to stress. Atmosphere management can limit ethylene exposure and its acceleration of ripening.
Pear storage: Postharvest methods for preserving pears while managing their maturation and quality. Many pears are harvested firm and stored under regulated atmospheres before ripening for market.
Oxygen: A chemical element and atmospheric gas used by most organisms in aerobic respiration. Reducing oxygen is a central means of slowing produce metabolism during storage.
Hypobaric storage: Food preservation under reduced air pressure, which lowers the partial pressure of gases such as oxygen. It reduces oxygen availability through pressure rather than relying only on a tailored gas mixture.
Reefer container: An insulated shipping container with refrigeration equipment for transporting temperature-sensitive cargo. Atmosphere-control systems can extend regulated storage from warehouses to ocean transport.

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