System, apparatus, and method for ozone-containing vacuum storage of perishable products

An apparatus for storing perishable products, comprising:

• a vacuum container configured to contain perishable products, wherein the vacuum container has a plurality of vacuum chambers;
• and
• an atmosphere control system coupled to the vacuum container for measuring and maintaining controlled atmospheric conditions within the vacuum container, the atmosphere control system comprising:
• a plurality of monitors configured to monitor atmospheric conditions within the vacuum container, wherein the plurality of monitors include a pressure sensor, an oxygen sensor, and an ozone sensor, and wherein the pressure sensor is configured to obtain a total absolute pressure in the plurality of vacuum chambers;
• a vacuum pump configured to reduce the total absolute pressure in the plurality of vacuum chambers to below a total gas pressure limit;
• an ozone generator configured to generate gaseous ozone;
• an inlet valve coupled to the ozone generator and configured to admit an ozone-containing gas into the vacuum container;
• and
• a microprocessor and a memory, wherein the microprocessor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to measure and control the atmospheric conditions within the vacuum container in response to sample values sensed by the plurality of monitors.