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Chapter 6. Precooling

Author(s) : ELANSARI A. M., FENTON D. L., CALLAHAN C. W.

Type of excerpt: Book chapter

Summary

The precooling process is the removal of field heat immediately following harvest, where field heat accelerates the deterioration and senescence processes. Different techniques are available to accomplish the precooling process for fresh produce, which includes room cooling, forced-air cooling, hydrocooling, vacuum, slurry, or liquid ice. Forced air precooling is the most applied technique and is customized to many perishables. The categorization of the forced air precooling method includes wet deck or ice banks system and the dry coil high humidity technique. The wet deck system provides cold humid air that minimizes the water loss of produce during the process of precooling, while the dry coil system applies a direct expansion or secondary coolant coil with a large size and advanced control to operate at a small temperature difference in order to maintain a high relative humidity of the leaving air stream. An evaluation of precooling systems is presented through the current chapter that exhibits a description of the theory behind each system with its main different components and modes of actions. This chapter aims to stimulate interest in precooling and encourage its use on a more widespread basis via the illustration of the different systems details.

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