Rapid re-cooling of fruit and vegetables is becoming increasingly important to buyers, sees Willem van der Does of BG Door International. That includes products from countries, like Africa, where cooling isn't frequently used. He says if soft fruit and vegetables are cooled quickly after harvesting, it extends their shelf life is by two or three days. Cold stores have to have extra facilities for rapid cooling. So, BG Door has developed a mobile pre-cool unit, among other things.
It can provide rapid re-cooling in existing, simple, or even slightly older refrigeration systems. There's no need for additional investment in the cold store infrastructure. William: "The mobile unit can hold 2 x 6 pallets as standard and can be enlarged to 24 pallets. It speeds up the cooling in the cell. It increases the air velocity, so products are exposed to far more cold air. As a result, products sometimes re-cool in half the time." This mobile unit's rapid re-cooling process is sometimes even used at airports.
"You can use this machine to equalize different product temperatures too," says Willem. BG Door has installed units at clients in Ethiopia and Egypt. These ensure that unrefrigerated produce received from growers can be quickly prepared for further transport, whether by plane or not. In Africa, refrigeration is becoming increasingly important too. And Willem notes that larger growers, in particular, are gaining more and more access to better cold storage facilities.
William van der Does
wvdd@bgdoor.com
BG Door International
Tel: +31 (0)88 0285300
www.bgdoor.com