The principle behind controlled atmosphere technologies is to reduce the rate of respiration, reduce microbial growth, and slow down enzymatic spoilage by changing the gas environment surrounding the food product. To achieve this result, the CA system provides the following conditions in the room:

• Lowest applicable temperature,
• Lowest applicable O2 concentration,
• Highest applicable CO2 concentration,
• Prevention of moisture loss (relative humidity 90-99%).

 

Also, cooling stores where CA technology is used must be gastight. Therefore, an important role is played by the quality of the doors to the store chamber, and the quality of the materials used for interface-seal of the panels, so that both of them ensure gas-tightness of the chamber.

If all of the above conditions are met, the CA systems integrated into cooling stores can extend the period of post-harvest storage up to 4 times (depending on the type and variety of fruits) while maintaining all the fruit qualities: brix, firmness, look, taste, a set of vitamins and other elements that are useful and necessary for human health.

 

Thus, in order to create the right conditions for storing fruit and vegetables with the help of CA, two important components are required: a high-quality CA system that meets the parameters of the room, and the gas-tightness of the room.

 

The OXYCAT team offers turnkey professional CA equipment and automation with all kinds of consulting, design, engineering and service services for your CA system, suitable for your needs and business structure.

 

You can contact us for all your questions and requests regarding our CA systems