Cold Storage is the one widely practiced method for bulk handling of the perishables between production and marketing processing.
It is one of the method of reserving perishable commodities in fresh and whole some state for longer period by controlling temprature and humidity with in storage system. Maintaining adequately low temperature is critical,as otherwise it will cause chilling injury to the produce. Also, relative humidity of the storeroom should be kept as high as 80%-90% for most of the perishables, below or above which is detrimental effect on the keeping quality of the produce.
* Most fruits and vegetables have a very limited life after harvest of held at normal harvesting ttemprature.
* Post harvest cooling rapidly removes field heat, allowing longer storage periods.
Proper postharvest cooling can:-
* Reduce respiratory activity and degradation of enzymes.
* Reduce internal water loss and wilting
*Slow or inhibit the growth of decay producing microorganism
*Reduce the production of the natural ripening agent ,ethylene.in addition to helping maintain quality,postharvest cooling also provides marketing flexibility by allowing the grower to sell produce at the most appropriate time.
Having cooling and storage facilities makes it unnecessary to market the produce immediately after harvest.This can be an advantage to the growers who supply restraunts and grocery stores or to small growers who want to assemble truckload lot for shipments.
Postharvest cooling is essential to delivering produce of highest possible quality to consumer storage can be combined storage in an environment with added of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide,etc.According to the nature of product to be preserved. The cold storage of dried or dehydrated vegetables in order to maintain vitaminC , Storage Temprature can be varied with storage time and can be at 0°-10°C for storage time of more than one year, with a relative humidity of 80-95%. The cold storage of perishables has advanced noticebly in recent years, leading to better maintainence of organopletic qualities, reduce spoilage and longer shelf lives. These advances have resulted from joint action by physiologist to determine the requirements of fruits and vegetables and by refridgerating specialist to design and run refridgerating machines accordingly.