System for controlling the air composition within a storage room for breathing vegetable products

• US 5,791,236 A
• Filed: 06/11/1997
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Storex BV
• Original Assignee: Instituut Voor Agrotechnologisch Onderzoek
• Inventors: Schouten, Simon Petrus
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US08/849,670
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 99/468-476, 99/485-487, 99/325-331, 99/534, 99/493, 99/276, 99/451, 435/289-291, 435/313, 435/316, 426/49, 426/52, 426/615
• US Class Current: 99/468
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/148 in a controlled atmosphere, e.g. partial vacuum, comprising only CO2, N2, O2 or H2O
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/152 in a controlled atmosphere comprising other gases in addition to CO2, N2, O2 or H2O ; Elimination of such other gases

Abstract

System for controlling the air composition within a storage room for breathing vegetable products. The storage room is connected to elements for controlling the oxygen content of the atmosphere in the storage room and comprises one or more sensors for sensing the air composition in the storage room. A processor is available for receiving the sensor signals and supplying control signals to oxygen content controlling elements. Furthermore the storage room comprises sensors for determining the development of metabolites in the vegetable products at the transfer of normal breathing to fermentation. The processor based on the signals, delivered by the sensors, controls the oxygen content controlling elements such that the vegetable products are stored in an air composition in which the oxygen contents is as low as possible without fermentation occurring.

Claims

1. System for controlling the air composition within a storage room, the system comprising:

a storage room for breathing vegetable products;

means operatively associated to the storage room for controlling the oxygen content of the atmosphere in the storage room;

first sensor means operatively associated to the storage room for sensing the air composition in the storage room;

second sensor means operatively associated to the storage room for determining development of metabolites in the vegetable products at transfer from normal breathing to fermentation; and

a processor including means for receiving signals sensed by the first and second sensor means, said processor including means for supplying control signals to the means for controlling the oxygen content, whereby the vegetable products are stored in an air composition in which the oxygen content is as low as possible.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor means include sensors for measuring the oxygen content and the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere within the storage room, said processor including means for calculating a ratio between carbon dioxide produced by the vegetable products and consumed oxygen, whereby the processor operates to decrease the oxygen content in the storage room as long as the calculated ratio is approximately equal to 1, and to increase the oxygen content when the calculated ratio is greater than 1.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein the second sensor means include a sensor for measuring the amount of ethanol in the air composition, whereby the processor operates to decrease the oxygen content in the storage room as long as the measured amount of ethanol in the air composition is negligible, and to increase the oxygen content when the measured amount of ethanol exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein the second sensing means include a sensor for measuring the amount of lactate in the air composition, whereby the processor operates to decrease the oxygen content in the storage room as long as the measured amount of lactate in the air composition is negligible, and to increase the oxygen content when the measured amount of lactate exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the means for controlling the oxygen content of the atmosphere in the storage room comprise a nitrogen source, a carbon dioxide source, an oxygen source, and means for removing carbon dioxide.