Proposal of a Method for Maintaining the Quality of Agricultural Products under the Cold Environment

Food quality control is important for food companies such as restaurants and consumers. Vegetables release heat energy by breathing even after harvesting. When the storage temperature rises, respiratory heat increases, and as a result, sugar decomposition progresses, and nutrients decrease. Therefore, it is possible to keep the quality of food by storing it at a low temperature. In this study, to confirm that cold storage reduced the respiratory heat of foods, we measured respiratory heat of food at low-temperature preservation by each temperature. To measure the respiratory heat of food at low-temperature preservation, we created an experimental device that can be sealed, kept at low-temperature, and can control temperature. Then, we put the food in the device, and measured the change in CO2 concentration immediately after the food was placed and 1 hour after the food was placed by each temperature. Finally, by using the measured data, we calculated the respiratory heat. As a result, low-temperature preservation can reduce respiratory heat, and it was found that the quality of food can be kept.