Refrigeration – Gas controller or director – Cooled gas directed relative to cooled enclosure
Patent
1987-08-10
1989-07-11
Capossela, Ronald C.
Refrigeration
Gas controller or director
Cooled gas directed relative to cooled enclosure
62 78, 62 94, 62440, 426418, 426419, F25D 1704
Patent
active
048459585
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a preservation method and preservation apparatus which are suitable for preserving perishable goods for a long period of time.
2. Background Art
It is desirable that perishable goods such as vegetables and fruits be stored in a low-temperature state. The reasons for this are as follows:
(1) Since metabolism is suppressed at a low temperature, there are only small changes in quality.
(2) Since the amount of respiration of perishable goods is reduced and the respiratory rates thereof are decreased, increases in the temperature of these goods can be suppressed.
(3) Since the maximum vapor pressure and relative humidity are decreased, losses in weight are reduced.
(4) Since the propagation and growth of pathogenic microorganisms are controlled, infection and spreading of blight are suppressed.
As described above, perishable goods are desirably preserved at low temperatures, but it is conventionally known that if their tissues become frozen, the quality deteriorates during thawing. In order to preserve perishable foods such as vegetables and fruits for a long period of time, it is therefore desirable that after they are harvested the temperature of the vegetables and fruits be decreased as soon as possible to a temperature at which there is no danger of freezing and that they be preserved at this temperature.
Japanese patent publication No. 46587/1984 discloses an apparatus for preserving such goods under temperature conditions as described above. The apparatus described in this publication, however, has a very complex structure and thus involves problems with respect to high fabrication and operation costs.
On the other hand, it is known that vegetables and fruits release harmful aging substances such as ethylene which cause additional maturation and aging of perishable goods. For example, when the perishable goods are flowers or buds, ethylene, ethylene dioxide, phenylethylene, methylethylene, or methylethyl carbinol is produced. When such a product spreads throughout a refrigerating chamber where perishable goods are being preserved, additional maturation and aging are caused and, for example, buds wither without opening. The production of the harmful aging substances such as ethylene and the degree of their functions depend upon temperature, and are suppressed at low temperatures. The low-temperature preservation of perishable goods, therefore, is also effective for suppressing the production and functions of these harmful aging substances.
However, there is a limit to the suppression of the additional maturation and aging of perishable goods caused by these harmful aging substances that can be attained by preserving them at a low temperature. In other words, even if the preservation conditions are such as to establish an ideal temperature and humidity, the additional maturation and aging caused by the harmful aging substances cannot be completely prevented and the perishable goods lose their freshness due to these harmful aging substances.
The inventors discovered first that such harmful aging substances are also present in perishable animal goods. Namely, it has become apparent that in the case of perishable animal goods, volatile base nitrogen triethylamine which is produced thereby is a harmful aging substance which causes them to lose their freshness.
All conventional methods for preserving perishable goods are, however, directed at controlling the temperature and humidity, and there has been no proposal with respect to the treatment of these harmful aging substances.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In order to achieve the above described object, the method of the present invention is characterized by removing from a refrigerating chamber harmful aging substances such as ethylene or volatile base nitrogen triethylamine which are released from perishable goods being preserved in the refrigerating chamber and which cause additional maturation and aging.
In addition,
REFERENCES:
patent: 2281625 (1942-05-01), Skinner
patent: 3792595 (1974-02-01), Willis
patent: 4235750 (1980-11-01), Cazalet
patent: 4337276 (1982-06-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 4467612 (1984-08-01), Weasel, Jr.
patent: 4484517 (1984-11-01), Amann
patent: 4685305 (1987-08-01), Burg
Senda Akira
Usui Takayuki
Capossela Ronald C.
DML Company Limited
Mitsui & Co. Ltd.
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