Overview
IEC 63169:2020 (consolidated with Amendment 1, 2024) is an IEC international standard for electrical household and similar cooling and freezing appliances - food preservation. It specifies laboratory test methods to simulate and measure the weight loss of leafy produce and to evaluate condensation in refrigerator test zones under defined conditions of temperature, humidity and air movement. The tests use a reproducible artificial material (a specified non‑woven fabric) and purpose-built test trays to replicate fresh produce behavior for repeatable performance assessment.
Key Topics
- Scope and applicability
- Applies to refrigerator compartments and sub‑compartments with all dimensions greater than 200 mm × 150 mm × 100 mm (L × W × H).
- Tests are for zones with an average operating temperature > 0 °C.
- Weight loss and condensation tests are performed in series (not in parallel) on the same appliance.
- Weight loss test
- Simulates moisture loss from leafy produce by measuring tray weight before and after a defined test duration to determine a weight‑loss rate.
- Uses an artificial, reproducible non‑woven material developed to emulate real food moisture loss.
- Includes provisions for test preparation, tray handling, sensor uncertainty and calculation of results.
- Condensation test
- Uses non‑woven‑filled test trays to generate condensation and evaluates extent, position and severity (metrics such as total condensation and average condensation are included).
- Includes tray placement guidelines and evaluation procedures.
- Test equipment and documentation
- Normative annexes cover test tray designs, non‑woven material specifications, equivalence assessment and expected uncertainty.
- Supporting 3D printing files and additional guidance are available via the SC 59M supporting documents on the IEC website.
Applications and Who Uses It
- Appliance manufacturers - validate design features (drawers, humidity zones, air flows) for produce preservation and make verifiable product claims.
- Test laboratories and certification bodies - perform repeatable performance tests for product comparison, compliance and quality control.
- R&D and product development teams - optimize compartment design, airflow and humidity control to reduce produce weight loss and condensation.
- Regulators and standards writers - reference method for performance metrics related to food preservation in refrigerated appliances.
Related Standards
- IEC 62552 series (Household refrigerating appliances - characteristics and test methods) - alignment and cross‑references for general appliance test methods and energy/volume measurements.
Keywords: IEC 63169, food preservation, weight loss test, condensation test, refrigerator performance, non‑woven test material, household refrigeration standards, test trays, shelf life assessment.