2019

COLD STORAGE
(FRUITS AND VEGETABLES)

Turn Potential Into Profit

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)

Ministry of Industries and Production (MoI&P)
Government of Pakistan

4th Floor Building No. 3, Aiwan-e-Iqbal Complex, Egerton Road Lahore

www.smeda.org.pk
Phone: (+92 42) 111 111 456
 Cold Storage – Fruits and Vegetables 1

Introduction to Cold Storage fruits and vegetables also comes in a

variety of sizes, including mini chillers that
for Fruits and Vegetables are perfect for caterers and mega cold
stores made with large distributors in
mind.

Whether the objective is to extend

commercial refrigeration business or the
purpose is to branch out into the fruit and
vegetable market, a portable cold storage
solution will extend the life of fruits and
vegetables (both in storage and in transit).

The cold storage prevents the spoilage of Optimum storage temperatures for
perishable commodities like Potato, Apple common fruits and vegetables:
and Kinnow, etc. and helps in making them There is rarely one temperature that fits all
available off-season. This also serves the solution to storing fruits and vegetables
dual purpose; mainly due to the factor of crop maturity.
The season of harvest and crop origins, all
i. The growers of the perishable play a part in calculating the optimum
produce don’t need to sell out their temperature requirements.
produce in hurry at throwaway
price. A general ‘rule of thumb’ is that winter
ii. Protect the nation from shortage of season produce should be stored at
commodities due to spoilage of around 0-2°C and summer produce is best
stored around 7-10°C. However, there are
food during off season.
exceptions to the rule, as some of the fruits
Cold storage for fruit and vegetable is and vegetables are greatly affected by low
particularly a tricky subject as there are temperatures.
many aspects, such as age and origin, Produce Temp Humidity Storage
which can affect the cause that how fresh Type °C % life
produce should be stored.
Apples 1-4 90- Up to 12
Benefits of Commercial Refrigeration: 95 months

Without cold storage, most fruits and Bananas 13- 80- Up to 3 weeks
vegetables will not stay fresh for more than 16 95
a few days. As soon as fresh produce is All Berries 0 90- Blackberries &
harvested, it begins to deteriorate and 95 raspberries up
dangerous bacteria starts to develop. to 3 days,
strawberries
Another ingenious benefit of cold storage and cherries
units is that they are highly customizable, up to 7 days
something that is particularly important
when storing fresh fruits and vegetables. Grapes 0 85 Up to 8 weeks
Temperature and humidity levels can vary
greatly between produce, making
customization essential. Cold storage for

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)

 Cold Storage – Fruits and Vegetables 1

Nectarines, 0 90- Up to 5 weeks Types of Cold Storage:

plums and 95
peaches Mostly cold storage is incredibly versatile,
meaning that there are plenty of options
Pears -1-0 90– Up to 7
when it comes to storing and distributing
95 months
fruit and veg.
Broccoli 0 95- Up to 4 weeks
and 100 1. Refrigerated Containers
cauliflower
Refrigerated containers come in a variety
Carrots, 0 98- Mature, up to of sizes from 10ft to 45ft and have a
mature 100 9 months and temperature range of -40°C to +10°C.
and immature up Mostly cold store units are portable and
immature to 6 weeks
can be used to safely transport goods.
Mega cold stores are also a popular option
Onion, 0 65– Up to 8 for larger companies and work by
white and 70 months
red
combining multiple linked cold store units
for a mega refrigerated solution.
Lettuce 0 98– Up to 3 weeks
100

All cold store refrigeration units provide

normally a temperature range between -
40°C to +10°C, making them perfect for the
storage of fruits and vegetables.

Process Flow:

2. Blast Freezers and Chillers

Receiving
Fresh Produce For businesses looking to stock and
Chamber
distribute frozen fruit and veg, rapid
freezing blast chillers are a great option.
With temperatures as low as -40°C, it can
Distribution Storage
Chamber Compartments

Clients

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)


freeze a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Mini blast freezers are also available for
caterers or smaller businesses short on
space.
3. Cold Rooms
Cold rooms are ideal for use as both
hygienic food processing areas and for
fresh produce storage. Cold rooms are a
great solution for any business looking for
custom cold storage for their fruit or
vegetable.
The commonly used type of cold storage in
Pakistan is Cold Room. These cold rooms
are used in almost all the major cities and
districts and are made very near to the
wholesale fruit and vegetable market.
Best Practices:
Most fruits produce a hormone called
ethylene once they begin to ripen and this
changes texture, colour and flavor in
produce. Unfortunately, fruits producing
ethylene also affect all surrounding
produce, speeding up the ripening process
considerably. If fruits are stored alongside
vegetables, it risks speeding up the ageing
process of produce, resulting in food
wastage.
Overstocking should be avoided (capacity
against temperature) in cold storage unit
above its capacity, as this raises the
internal temperature and speeds up
produce deterioration.
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)
Cold Storage – Fruits and Vegetables 1
Tightly packed pallets should also be
avoided as crushing can occur, leading to
the development of bacterial growth. Fruit
and vegetable should be packed so that
there is enough room for the internal fan
to distribute cool air freely.
Distributors should know the history of
fruit and veg to make the best decision
regarding cold storage and transportation
arrangements. This includes factors such
as product maturity, prior goods
preparation, previous quality inspections
and produce grading etc.
Useful Links:
www.smeda.org.pk
www.pfa.gop.pk
www.punjab.gov.pk
www.icid.punjab.gov.pk
www.agribusiness.org.pk
www.pitac.gov.pk
www.companylist.org
www.azizgrp.com
Disclaimer:
Information provided in this document is
for general purpose and collected through
secondary data sources. The reader is
advised to further deliberate given
information according to the
circumstances. SMEDA does not hold any
liability regarding outcome of the venture
after use of this document.