Systems and methods for extending the fresh life of perishables in the retail and vending setting
AssigneeFresh Food Solutions LLC
InventorLaurence D. Bell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to mechanically refrigerated retail and vending display systems and methods or use for extending the shelf-life of perishable products in the retail or vending setting. This is accomplished by maintaining an appropriate modified and controlled atmosphere (MA/CA) environment for the perishable product in a retail or vending display unit. The systems and methods of the invention maintain the MA/CA environment for a time period of 10 days or longer, wherein the marketable shelf-life of a perishable product is at least doubled. The systems may also operate in a power generation/power production mode, such that the fuel cells maintain the MA/CA environment while providing both primary and/or back-up power.
Claims20
A method for extending the fresh shelf-life of perishable products in a refrigerated retail or vending display system, comprising:
- (a) obtaining one or more perishable products;
- (b) providing a sealable, mechanically refrigerated retail or vending display unit having at least one refrigeration component, at least one sealable gas port and an oxygen reduction means;
- and
- (c) transferring the one or more perishable products to the retail or vending display unit, wherein operation of said mechanical refrigeration unit generates a recirculating, gaseous forced air stream that can be directed across the oxygen reduction means creating and maintaining a low oxygen modified and controlled atmosphere (MA/CA) environment in said retail or vending display unit wherein the fresh shelf-life of one or more perishable products is at least twice as long as that of the same perishable products not maintained in an MA/CA environment.
A retail or vending display system for extending the shelf-life of a perishable product, including a mechanically refrigerated sealable retail or vending display unit, comprising:
- (a) a refrigeration component having at least one sealable gas port wherein operation of said mechanical refrigeration unit generates a recirculating, gaseous forced air stream;
- (b) an oxygen (O2) reduction means wherein the O2 reduction means provides and maintains a low oxygen modified and controlled atmosphere (MA/CA) environment in the retail or vending display unit;
- (c) a carbon dioxide (CO2) input means wherein the CO2 input means provides and maintains a high CO2 modified and controlled atmosphere (MA/CA) environment in the retail or vending display unit:
- and
- (d) one or more perishable products located in the modified and controlled atmosphere (MA/CA) environment of the retail or vending display unit, wherein said MA/CA environment is maintained in the refrigerated sealable retail or vending display unit and the marketable shelf-life of perishable products stored in said unit is least doubled as compared to the shelf-life of a perishable product stored in a retail or vending display wherein said MA/CA environment is not maintained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.