Method of transporting or storing perishable produce

Abstract

The method allows cool rooms or sea containers designed for frozen goods to handle produce requiring more precisely controlled temperatures and conditions. Each load of produce is held in the sea container or cool room but in a sealed periphery from the air of the refrigerated environment. The atmosphere within the sealed periphery is then circulated so as to pass through the load and around it via ducts provided adjacent the sealed periphery. Heat exchange between the circulating gas and the refrigerated environment serves to cool the load. However, if cooling is excessive a heating element can be used to raise the temperature of the circulating atmosphere.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of transporting or storing perishable produce which comprises: 
 providing a sealable transportable container having    circulating means electrically energizable and powered to circulate gas associated with said produce amongst a produce and in some heat exchange relationship with at least part of a sealing periphery of said produce and its associated gas; and    heating means disposed within the container operable to raise the temperature of the circulating gas environment therein;    loading and sealing the produce into the sealable transportable container to substantially isolate the gas associated with said produce from the surrounding environment;    lowering the temperature of the sealed produce and associated gas; and then    holding the temperature of the sealed produce and associated gas at a refrigerating temperature by ensuring a controlled refrigerating environment outside of said container which is in a heat exchange relationship with said at least part of the sealing periphery and hence said sealed produce and associated gas, while the gas within said container is continuously or continually circulated therein, whereby upon operating the heating means, the refrigerating temperature is above the controlled refrigerating temperature.    
     
     
         2 . The method of transporting or storing perishable produce as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said circulating means is a fan.  
     
     
         3 . The method of transporting or storing perishable produce as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the locus of urged circulation of the associated gas is up the side of the produce, over the top of the produce, and back down the side of the produce.  
     
     
         4 . The method of transporting or storing perishable produce as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the locus of urged circulation is up the side of said produce across and through the produce at various levels, and back down the side of the produce.  
     
     
         5 . The method of transporting or storing perishable produce as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sealing periphery comprise a flexible plastic bag placed over said produce, and then braced so as to provide air gaps or ducts around said produce.  
     
     
         6 . A method of transporting or storing perishable produce which comprises: 
 providing a sealed pallet having    circulating means electrically energizable and powered to circulate gas associated with said produce amongst a produce and in some heat exchange relationship with at least part of a sealing periphery of said produce and its associated gas; and    heating means disposed within the sealed pallet operable to raise the temperature of the circulating gas environment therein;    loading and sealing the produce onto the pallet to obtain a produce stack and substantially isolate the gas associated with said produce from the surrounding environment;    lowering the temperature of the sealed produce and associated gas; and then    holding the temperature of the sealed produce and associated gas at a refrigerating temperature by ensuring a controlled refrigerating environment outside of said sealed pallet which is in a heat exchange relationship with said at least part of the sealing periphery and hence said sealed produce and associated gas, while the gas within said sealed pallet is continuously or continually circulated therein, whereby upon operating the heating means, the refrigerating temperature is above the controlled refrigerating temperature.    
     
     
         7 . The method of transporting or storing perishable produce as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein said circulating means electrical energizable within the sealed pallet is a fan.  
     
     
         8 . The method of transporting or storing perishable produce as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the locus of urged circulation of the associated gas is up the side of the produce stack, over the top of the produce stack, and back down the side of the produce stack.  
     
     
         9 . The method of transporting or storing perishable produce as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the locus of urged circulation is up the side of the produce stack across and through the produce stack at various levels, and back down the side of the produce stack.  
     
     
         10 . The method of transporting or storing perishable produce as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the sealing periphery comprises a flexible plastic bag placed over said produce, and then braced so as to provide air gaps or ducts around said produce.