Tomatoes — Guide to cold storage and refrigerated transport
Tomatoes — Guide to cold storage and refrigerated transport
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ISO 5524:1991 is an international standard providing comprehensive guidelines for the cold storage and refrigerated transport of tomatoes (Lycopersicon lycopersicum). Developed by ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 34 on agricultural food products, this standard aims to maintain tomato quality, reduce spoilage, and optimize handling practices during cold chain logistics. It covers recommendations from harvest to final storage, focusing on temperature control, packaging, humidity, and transport conditions tailored to different tomato maturities. Although initially published in 1991, it remains relevant for maintaining post-harvest quality in fresh tomato supply chains worldwide.
Harvesting Practices Tomatoes should be harvested under dry conditions, ensuring they are healthy, clean, and free of excessive surface moisture. Harvest maturity is primarily assessed by color and must be aligned with transport duration and market requirements.
Quality Characteristics The standard emphasizes uniform maturity within lots, suggesting color variations no greater than two adjacent color scale degrees. Presence of the peduncle is optional depending on destination.
Packaging Requirements Suitable packaging materials include wood, fiberboard, or plastics, with care taken to avoid mechanical damage. Layer height in packages should not exceed 20 cm, and good airflow around packaging is critical.
Pre-Cooling and Prerefrigeration Pre-cooling tomatoes promptly after harvest-within 12 hours-to temperatures close to optimal storage conditions prevents quality degradation. Vehicles and storage areas should also be precooled to avoid condensation.
Temperature Control Optimal storage temperatures vary by tomato maturity, being generally higher for less mature fruit. Storage temperatures range from 6 °C to 13 °C depending on maturity stage, with strict limits on deviations to reduce spoilage.
Humidity and Airflow Relative humidity in storage and transport must be maintained at approximately 90% ± 3% to prevent dehydration. Uniform airflow in refrigerated environments ensures consistent temperature and humidity conditions.
Transport and Storage Duration Depending on temperature control and maturity, tomatoes can maintain quality for 7 to 21 days. Strict temperature and handling protocols during transport are vital to extend shelf life.
Handling Recommendations Mechanical loading should be done with caution using pallets and strapping to prevent damage. Tomatoes with similar maturity and size should be grouped within shipments for consistency.
ISO 5524:1991 serves as a crucial reference for:
By closely following these guidelines, stakeholders can minimize waste, preserve flavor, texture, and nutrition, and improve consumer satisfaction.
Keywords: ISO 5524, tomato cold storage, refrigerated transport tomatoes, tomato packaging, post-harvest tomato handling, fresh tomato logistics, temperature control tomatoes, tomato quality preservation, refrigerated supply chain, tomato humidity control
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