Overview of Fresh Food Preservation Demand

Fresh fruits, vegetables and meat products are favored by people for their delicious taste and rich nutrition, and fresh food also has higher economic value. However, fresh fruits and vegetables are perishable with a short shelf life, and the annual economic loss caused by food decay is immeasurable. Meanwhile, quick-frozen meat tends to lose part of original flavor and nutrients compared with fresh meat.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, due to low level of post-harvest commercial treatment, insufficient storage & transportation and backward fresh-keeping technology, the post-harvest loss rate of fruits and vegetables reaches as high as 20% ~ 30%. Therefore, scientific and efficient fresh-keeping technology is not only an industrial rigid demand, but also an important way to achieve the national "Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality" goals.

Modified Atmosphere Preservation Technology

Modern fresh-keeping technologies focus on inhibiting respiratory metabolism, controlling microbial growth and delaying deterioration, forming a complete technical system represented by modified atmosphere (MA) preservation.

With strong independent innovation capability, GBPI developed the AUTO GQ900 Modified Atmosphere Preservation Cabinet, which is specially designed for storage and preservation tests of various fruits, vegetables, flowers and seedlings.

Taking tropical fruits and berries such as mango, mangosteen, strawberry and litchi as examples: tropical fruits feature vigorous post-harvest respiratory metabolism. It is necessary to inhibit enzyme activity by low-temperature pre-cooling and precisely control the ratio of O₂ and CO₂ under modified atmosphere to delay browning and mold growth.

Berries (strawberry, blueberry, etc.) have thin peel and high water content, which require high humidity environment combined with low oxygen control to reduce water loss, as well as ozone sterilization to inhibit microbial diseases such as gray mold.

The optimal MA parameters vary greatly for different fruits, while traditional equipment cannot meet the parallel research demands of multiple varieties.

Adopting microelectronic technology, GBPI AUTO GQ900 automatically controls internal temperature, humidity, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ethylene concentration detection and removal, as well as automatic sterilization to achieve ideal preservation effect. It is an indispensable testing instrument for microbiology, environmental protection, food production, universities and scientific research institutions.

Figure 1 | AUTO GQ-900 Modified Atmosphere Preservation Cabinet

This equipment provides optimal operating parameters for large-scale commercial MA cold storage, studies dynamic balance of gas components in food modified atmosphere packaging systems under different conditions, tests gas permeability of porous films, breathable films and silicon window modified atmosphere packaging, and offers optimal gas proportion scheme for various fresh food packaging.

AUTO GQ900 Modified Atmosphere Preservation Cabinet

1. Product Features

GBPI owns independent intellectual property rights of the equipment, filling the domestic market gap. The main advanced features are as follows:

• Nine independent test chambers with separate control of humidity, gas flow & concentration, ethylene removal device, lighting system, sterilization system and drainage system.
• Built-in microcomputer system for automatic control and data processing; manually switch chambers to display real-time temperature, humidity, O₂, N₂, CO₂ and ethylene concentration data.

Figure 3 | Software Interface

• 15-inch 100,000 true-color touch screen, supports independent parameter setting and operation for each chamber; real-time display of detailed data and working status.
• Built-in ozone sterilization system with manual start and adjustable sterilization time; auto stop when reaching preset time.
• Adopts catalytic ethylene removal device and gas replacement pump for fast ethylene concentration control.
• Original imported high-precision sensors for detection of gas and ethylene concentration.
• Temperature control: heating wire heating + scroll compressor cooling, stable performance and low noise; PID algorithm + solid state relay control without mechanical contact, long service life and constant temperature. Nine chambers adopt unified temperature setting.
• Humidity control: high-frequency atomization humidification with large range; long-time humidification without heating up and no influence on chamber temperature; each chamber runs independent humidification system with automatic humidity maintenance.

2. Technical Parameters

With excellent performance and stable operation, GBPI AUTO GQ900 has been widely applied in universities, agricultural research institutes, flower & seedling farms, grain storage and transportation institutions, winning high recognition and trust from global customers.

Conclusion & Industry Prospect

As an innovative technology in food preservation, modified atmosphere technology has outstanding advantages. However, improper application will lead to adverse effects and even potential food safety risks. Only through in-depth experimental research with professional MA preservation cabinet can we explore the optimal fresh-keeping formula for all kinds of fresh ingredients.

With the continuous improvement of residents' living standards and growing awareness of healthy consumption, market demand for green pollution-free food keeps rising. Under this trend, modified atmosphere preservation technology and professional preservation cabinets will embrace broader development prospects, playing a vital role in food safety guarantee and food quality improvement.