Controlled atmosphere cut vegetable produce package and method

A method for increasing the storage life of refrigerated cut vegetable produce, comprising the steps in sequence of:

• A. washing a quantity of a perishable cut produce blend of ripe, fresh garden vegetables other than tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, radishes, sprouts, mushrooms or cucumbers in the form of cut pieces in a cold water bath with mild agitation sufficient to remove substantially any retained dirt and grime to form a washed cut produce blend, said produce blend being a mixture of a plurality of vegetable species and wherein the cut produce pieces each range in weight from about 1 to 10 g;
• B. contacting the washed, cut produce blend with an aqueous solution containing about 100 to 250 ppm active chlorine at about 40.degree. to 60.degree. F. for a time sufficient to reduce the microbial load to less than about 1000 APC per gram of cut produce blend to form a washed cut produce blend of reduced initial microbial load;
• C. removing adhered mositure of the aqueous solution from the cut produce blend to form a dewatered cut produce blend;
• D. without further chemical treatment placing the dewatered cut produce blend into an imperforate hermetically sealable container to form a bed having a thickness ranging from about 1 to 6inches, said container having at least a portion fabricated from a gas permeable material having an oxygen gas permeability such as to allow infusion into the package of about 18 to 32 cc of oxygen per ounce of produce per 24 hr.;
• E. hermetically sealing within the container with said blend an initial modified atmosphere at atmospheric pressure consisting essentially of about 2% to 5% oxygen, about 8% to 15% carbon dioxide by volume, the balance substantially all molecular nitrogen;
• F. refrigerating the sealed container to reduce the respiration rate of the produce blend at least by 75% within 1 to 5 days and to form an equilibrium atmosphere within the container, and wherein said container and produce blends are selected such that said equilibrium atmosphere wherein said container comprises:
• about 0.8% to 1.5% by volume oxygen,
• about 8% to 12% by volume carbon dioxide, and
• the balance substantially all nitrogen,
• said equilibrium atmosphere being obtained from 1 to 5 days after sealing and wherein the container is substantially free of chemical agents capable of absorbing gases.