COOLING AND STORAGE OF FOOD PRODUCE

PRESENTED

BY

FAMILOLA ELIZABETH
 INTRODUCTION
 Cooling refers to the process of lowering their
temperature to slow down the growth of
microorganisms and enzymatic activity.

 Storage of food products refers to the proper handling

and keeping of food items in appropriate conditions
for later use. It normally occurs after harvesting till
the time the produce is consumed or made use of.
 Importance of cooling and storage of
food product
 It prevents spoilage
 To ensure food security
 Provision of raw materials for agro-based industries
 Food safety: reduces risk of food borne illnesses
 Nutritional preservation
 Cost efficiency
 Quality maintenance
 Regulatory compliance: maintain legal requirement
 Convenience: it reduces shopping trips
 HARVESTING OF GRAINS
 Harvesting is the process of collecting the mature
grain from the field.

 Harvesting at the right time and in the right way

maximizes losses and deterioration.

 Grain should be carefully harvested.

 Damages during harvesting increases susceptibility to

insects infestation
 GRAIN STORAGE TIPS
 Clean grain to remove chaff, weeds, and broken
kernels.
 Handle grain gently to minimize cracked and broken

kernels.
 Store grain at the recommended moisture.
 Aerate stored grain to maintain a cool, uniform,

recommended temperature.
 Check stored grain frequently and take immediate

action to eliminate problems.

 STORAGE METHODS
Level of storage
 Farm level: Rhumbu, crib and tent dryer

 Domestic level: Hermetic storage using air tight containers

(metal or plastic drums, tin).

 Commercial level: stores and warehouses, improved PICS

and Zero-fly bag.

 Strategic
grain reserve: Silos (conventional),inert
atmosphere metal silos
 STORAGE STRUCTURES
 Rhumbu barn: they are built using local materials like
bamboo, mud and thatch, which helps to keep stored
produce protected from pest and the elements

 Hermetic steel drums are containers designed to provide

airtight and moisture–resistant, solutions for agricultural
products, especially grains and other dry foodstuff.

 Atmosphere silos: To provide atmosphere storage solution

for grains and other agricultural products. it uses nitrogen as
inert gas thereby eliminating the use of insecticide.
STORAGE STRUCTURES
 Zero Fly Bag: the zero fly bag is made from a special fabric
treated with insecticides that are safe for humans but lethal to
insects. the bag is constructed from durable materials that
withstand the rigors of handling and transportation, ensuring
long-time use.

 Purdue improved crop storage bags (PICS): PICS bags consist

of three layers two inner liners made of high density
polyethylene layer. This multi-layer design creates a hermetic
seal that prevents air and moisture from entering the bag.

 Wooden crib: used for storing unshelled/unthresed crops e.g

maize, sorghum, millet e.t.c.
 STORAGE STRUCTURES
 Fruits and vegetable barn: this is designed for storage of fresh produce.
 Leafy vegetables after harvesting are cooled immediately to remove field
heat, sorted to remove debris, wash to remove dirt and then packaged.

 Ice packing involves filling the spaces between the produce with crushed
ice, in an ice product ratio of approximately 1-3.

 Hydro-cooling involves placing the produce on a conveyor belt that is

doused with chilled water, cooling the produce in approximately 20minutes.

 Hydrovac cooling involves cooling vegetables under a vacuum. Vacuum

cooling is extremely effective in preserving food quality because of rapid
cooling rate.

 Vegetables should be packed in nestle/ stackable/ reusable plastic crates

(RPC), Vegetable basket (VBC) It can be moved into fruits and vegetables
shed before processing.
 Storage Technologies for Grains & Pulses

Maize crib
Hermetic storage Tent Dryer

Domestic
Farm
Level

Ware House Inert Atmosphere Silo

Small &
Medium Strategic
VENTILATED FRUIT SHED REFRIGERATED/COOLING VANS

WALL-IN-WALL ECS TIN-IN-POT AND POT-IN-POT ECS

 Evaporative cooling system (ECS):It is used for storage of fresh fruits and vegetables
and other perishable goods.

 This system utilizes the principle of evaporation of water from the products which leads
to a decrease in temperature and increase in humidity relative to the ambient
environment.

 It is unique for its simplicity, low setup, energy efficiency and environmental
friendliness.

Using locally sourced materials NSPRI has developed various model of ECS structures
such as:

 Cooler basket cooling system

 Block in block cooling system
 Metal in block cooling system
 Pot in pot cooling system
 Metal in pot cooling system
 STORAGE OF FRESH FISH

 Fish box: this is a specialized container designed to

preserve and transport fish and other seafood products. It
maintains the quality and freshness of fish from the point of
capture to the market.

 Fresh fish storage time can be increased by using good

fishing techniques, good hygiene and sanitation practices,
Immediate onboard cooling/icing.