ABSTRACT
The rapid cooling of fresh produce from field heat to its best storage temperature is called precooling. The term, precooling, also refers to several practices whereby the temperature of the freshly harvested produce is quickly lowered to shorten the period of initial high respiration rate as well as to reduce the loads on the long-term cold storage facilities. Precooling facility is usually erected within pack house premises and it is the responsibility of grower, shipper or pack house owner. Forced air cooling is the most common and widely used method of precooling. Hydrocooling systems are suitable for precooling of artichokes, asparagus, avocados, green beans, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, capsicum, cucumber, eggplant, green onion, kale, leeks, leafy vegetables, nectarines, orange, parsley, peas, peaches, pomegranate, radishes, romaine lettuce, spinach, sweet corn, turnips and other fruits and vegetables. Precooling can be carried out using hydro-cooling, liquid icing, package icing, and top icing.
