Abstract:Fruits and vegetables are perishable at high temperature, making it vital to cool them down rapidly and transport them through the cold chain circulation immediately after harvest. The authors aimed to study the effects of different distribution methods on the nutrition and quality of fruits and vegetables, using lettuce, cucumber, grape, and mango as the research objects. After precooling, the samples were refrigerated and distributed in both semiconductor refrigerated cabinets and propane refrigerated cabinets for 24 hours, and compared with the non-refrigerated samples distributed at normal temperatures. Sensory evaluation and nutrient analysis were conducted. The results showed that the sensory evaluation of fruits and vegetables under propane refrigerator distribution, semiconductor refrigerator distribution and normal temperature distribution were 8.3~8.7, 8.2~8.6 and 7.1~8.0 ℃, respectively. The rates of weight loss ranged from 0.23% to 2.67%, 0.28% to 2.21% and 0.97% to 4.88%, respectively. Propane refrigerated cabinets provided optimal quality and minimal weight loss in the refrigerated distribution of fruits and vegetables, with lettuce, cucumber, grape, and mango having VC contents of 1.09, 1.48, 5.65, and 5.54 mg/100 g respectively; soluble solids contents of 3.4, 4.17, 16.2, and 15.44 mg/g respectively; soluble protein contents of 0.021, 0.027, 0.091, and 0.11 mg/g respectively; and the highest retention of nutritional components. The carbon emissions per unit mass of fruits and vegetables distributed by propane and semiconductor refrigeration were measured at 65.4 g/kg and 300 g/kg, respectively. The carbon emissions from propane refrigerated cabinets were lower than those from semiconductor refrigerated cabinets.
