This study was carried out to indirectly predict the storage time limit, hardness, and acidity of Fuji apples in controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. A sensor installed inside the CA storage measured temperature, relative humidity, and gas composition data in real time. The respiration rate from five tons of apples in CA storage was calculated to predict the weight loss rate. As a result, the predicted and actual weight loss rate induced a predictable residual storage time equation that showed a significantly high correlation. The apple storage period showed a high reliability (R2=0.9322) because the predicted equation using respiration rate and number of days stored was about nine months for five tons of apples. Furthermore, the hardness and acidity prediction equation were derived from the quality analysis. However, there was not enough analysis sample correlation (the coefficient was as low as 0.3506 and 0.3144, respectively), but the tendency could be confirmed by reduced hardness and acidity. As a result, these quality prediction equations could encourage CA container distribution, effective for agricultural shipment regulation and increasing the ease of operations.

This study was conducted to propose the conditions of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage suitable for the storage of winter Chinese cabbage and to investigate the maximum storage period of Chinese cabbage based on the results of the quality analysis for CA storage. The weight loss rate of Chinese cabbage stored at 194 days in low temperature storage was about 2 times higher than that in CA storage. The trimming loss rate of Chinese cabbage stored at low temperature was 1.5 times higher than that of CA storage after 83 days of storage. Bolting of Chinese cabbage was observed in only low temperature storage. The Chinese cabbage firmness of CA storage was not different in the range of 5.7-6.2 N, while low temperature storage gradually increased after 83 days of storage and was 7.5 N at 194 days. The incidence of mold occurred after 83 days in low temperature storage, while in CA storage it occurred after 153 days. In the quality evaluation, CA storage for Chinese cabbage was rated 1.5-1.9 points higher than the low temperature storage. The maximum storage period of Chinese cabbage at low temperature storage was 83 days and that at CA storage 153 days.

The O2 and CO2 concentrations in controlled atmosphere (CA) rooms are determined by the respiration of produce like apples and the airtightness of the CA room, with gas in the CA room controlled by O2 and CO2 removal as well as respiration (CO2 increase and O2 decrease). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of the gas exchange model for O2 removal, CO2 removal, the rate of O2 decrease and CO2 increase by respiration of apples, and airtightness of the CA room. It took 17.5 hours to reduce O2 concentration from 20.9% tO 2.0% after loading 4.3 tons of Fuji apples into the CA room, which was 4.2 hours longer than the 13.3 hours of the model formula. After the CO2 concentration rose to 0.5% due to respiration, it took 4.7 hours to lower the CO2 concentration to 0.2%, which was 0.6 hours longer than that of the model equation. The rate of CO2 increase by respiration was 0.021%/h, which was similar to the model equation (0.017%/h). Also after 4.7 hours, the O2 concentration decreased by 0.1% which was also in line with the model equation (0.13%/h).