The correct method for storing bananas in cold storage

The key to storing bananas in a cold storage is to control temperature and humidity to avoid frostbite or premature ripening. The correct methods include pre cooling treatment, temperature and humidity regulation, gas regulation, packaging pressure avoidance, regular inspection, and other steps.

1. Pre cooling treatment

After harvesting bananas, pre cooling should be completed within 12 hours, using forced ventilation or water cooling to reduce the core temperature to 14-16 degrees Celsius. Pre cooling can suppress field heat and reduce respiratory intensity. During the pre cooling process, it is important to avoid direct contact between condensed water and fruit peels to prevent the appearance of black spots. Directly storing bananas that have not been pre cooled can cause temperature fluctuations and accelerate local decay.

2. Temperature and humidity regulation

The storage temperature should be stable at 13-15 degrees Celsius, and the relative humidity should be maintained at 85% -90%. Temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius can cause cold damage, resulting in gray brown water stains on the skin; If it is above 16 degrees Celsius, it will accelerate ripening. Using an ultrasonic humidifier to maintain humidity, combined with an air circulation system in the warehouse, to avoid mold growth caused by high humidity or wrinkles caused by low humidity.

3. Gas regulation

By controlling the oxygen concentration at 2% -5% and the carbon dioxide concentration at 2% -7% through gas regulation equipment, the synthesis of ethylene can be delayed. The daily ethylene production per ton of bananas should be controlled below 0.1 milliliters, and ethylene absorbents or catalytic oxidation devices should be installed in the warehouse. Modified atmosphere storage can extend the shelf life of bananas to 4-6 weeks, but regular testing of gas composition is necessary to prevent anaerobic respiration.

4. Pressure resistant packaging

is loaded in corrugated cardboard boxes lined with polyethylene film, with a single box weight not exceeding 18 kilograms, and pearl cotton spacers are used between layers. Prohibit the use of sealed plastic bags and avoid stacking more than 5 layers. When the banana is hung for storage, the fruit handle needs to be protected with a foam cover, and the spacing between adjacent banana combs should be kept more than 3cm to prevent local decay caused by mechanical damage.

5. Regular inspection

Check the temperature and humidity uniformity of each area in the warehouse every 48 hours, and use an infrared thermometer to randomly check the temperature of the fruit core. Remove locally rotten fruits immediately and disinfect the contaminated area with hypochlorous acid solution. During storage, samples are taken weekly to measure hardness and sugar content. When the soluble solids reach 18%, they must be immediately released for sale.

Bananas should be avoided from being mixed with fruits such as apples and pears that release large amounts of ethylene during storage, and the cold storage should be thoroughly disinfected before storage. Adopting a segmented heating and discharging method, increasing the temperature by 2 degrees Celsius every 24 hours to the ambient temperature, can effectively reduce the generation of condensation water. Commercial storage is recommended to be combined with 1-methylcyclopropene treatment, which can further inhibit the activity of ripening enzymes, but requires professional operation. In daily management, it is important to focus on monitoring the sealing of cold storage doors, reducing the number and duration of door openings, and promptly restoring the set temperature and humidity parameters after each shipment.