Fresh produce preservation

Abstract

A system of preserving fresh produce in a refrigerator displayed for observation and selection by the public, such as in a grocery store. Moisture is applied to the articles, in the form of an extremely fine mist, made up of particles in the range of about 75-150 micron diameter, suspended in air, and slowly falling. The moisture applied to the produce articles is only film-thick so as to minimize flow-off from the articles. Producing the mist includes selectively, hydraulic pressure means, or air pressure means. The mist is controlled by automatic on-off control means and is produced by misting nozzles centrally positioned above the shelf means for supporting various produce articles within the refrigerator display means.

I claim: 
     
       1. A system for preserving fresh produce within a refrigerator display means having an opening accessible to the public for inspection and selective removal of produce therefrom, comprising, in combination: at least one fluid-permeable elongated shelf means having laterally spaced apart .[.side.]. .Iadd.front and rear .Iaddend.edges for supporting fresh produce thereon;   means providing a stream of relatively cool air circulating about said shelf means;   a plurality of misting nozzle means centrally positioned from the .[.lateral side.]. .Iadd.laterally spaced .Iaddend.edges of said shelf means and above said shelf means, said nozzle means being spaced from one another a select distance and along the length of said shelf means so that an atomized mist pattern from each nozzle means overlaps at least one adjacent atomized mist pattern;   a water supply and control means connected with said plurality of misting nozzle means for providing relatively cool water at a pressure of at least about 30 p.s.i. to said nozzle means; and   a timer means operationally connected to said control means to intermittently provide pressurized water to said nozzle means for relatively brief periods of time and to intermittently shut-off pressurized water to said nozzle means for relatively long periods of time.   
     
     
       2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said nozzle means provide a mist pattern which extends about 158° to 165° .[.from.]. .Iadd.about a line perpendicular to .Iaddend.a central axis of each such nozzle means. 
     
     
       3. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means is a plurality of control means, each being connected to a .[.select.]. .Iadd.preselected .Iaddend.nozzle means for control of water to such .[.select.]. .Iadd.preselected .Iaddend.nozzle means only. 
     
     
       4. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said timer means provides pressurized water to said nozzle means for about three to five seconds and shut-off pressurized water to said nozzle means for about .Badd..[.347.]. .Baddend..Iadd.297 .Iaddend.to .Badd..[.345.]. .Baddend..Iadd.295 .Iaddend.seconds. .Iadd.5. A system for preserving fresh produce within a refrigerator display means having an opening accessible to the public for inspection and selected removal of produce therefrom, comprising, in combination: at least one fluid-permeable elongated shelf means having laterally spaced apart front and rear edges for supporting fresh produce thereon;   means providing a stream of relatively cool air circulating about said shelf means;   a plurality of misting nozzle means centrally positioned from the laterally spaced edges of said shelf means and above said shelf means, said nozzle means being spaced from one another a select distance and along the length of said shelf means so that an atomized mist pattern from each nozzle means overlaps at least one adjacent atomized mist pattern.   a water supply and control means connected with said plurality of misting nozzle means for providing relatively cool water at a pressure of about 30 p.s.i. to said nozzle means; and   a timer means defining a cycle time and operationally connected to said control means to intermittently provide pressurized water to said nozzle means for a preselected time in the range from 1 to 12/3 percent of said cycle time and to intermittently shut-off pressurized water to said nozzle means for the remainder of said cycle time within each cycle. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.6.  The system as defined in claim 5 wherein said cycle time comprises a five minute cycle time. .Iaddend.