An improved system and method for treating, precooling, and handling perishable products uses a mobile container enhanced with increased capacity refrigeration and air flow to recirculate functional substances including sanitizers, and ripening management and conditioning agents across the surface of palletized perishable products during the precooling step. As the perishable is precooled, the system integrates humidity control to reduce dehydration. Sanitizing substances are dispensed into the recirculating air to significantly reduce micro-organisms on the surface coming from the field and avoid recontamination from the cooling warehouse. Conditioning and ripening management substances are recirculated to enable managing the ripeness of a perishable to a target. The mobile container is modified from a standard intermodal container or over-the-road semi-trailer. The enhanced forced air and/or refrigeration equipment is contained within the container and/or mounted on the top and/or side exterior of the container and can accomplish rapid cooling. The system and method has thus combined rapid cooling, reduced dehydration, reduced surface micro-organism contamination, and conditioning or ripeness control for enhanced quality and shelf life. The mobile container is able to operate independently outside of a refrigerated warehouse used for storage and distribution of the cooled perishable product. The materials of construction used and operational independence enable safely using highly active sanitizing, ripening management, and other functional substances. The mobile container can be located near harvest or facilities with no cooling assets. A combined system using conveyors and operational controls provides automated handling of the perishables from receiving, through precooling and treatment, preferably to a MAP process, and then distribution.

A dual waterfall cabinet includes a hollow basin having front and rear openings to allow workpieces to move therethrough. The cabinet also includes waterfall assemblies on either side of the hollow basin that form waterfalls of solution to be applied to the workpieces. To provide thorough interior and exterior coverage, the distance between the waterfalls can vary along a length of the cabinet.

A dual waterfall cabinet includes a hollow basin having front and rear openings to allow workpieces to move therethrough. The cabinet also includes waterfall assemblies on either side of the hollow basin that form waterfalls of solution to be applied to the workpieces. To provide thorough interior and exterior coverage, the distance between the waterfalls can vary along a length of the cabinet.

An improved system and method for treating, precooling, handling, and packaging perishable products uses a mobile container enhanced with increased capacity refrigeration and air flow to recirculate functional substances including sanitizers, and ripening management and conditioning agents across the surface of perishable products during the precooling step. The mobile container is a prefabricated container or is modified from a standard intermodal container or over-the-road semi-trailer. The enhanced forced air and/or refrigeration equipment is contained within the container and/or mounted on the top and/or side exterior of the container and can accomplish rapid cooling. The mobile container can be located near harvest or facilities with no cooling assets. A combined system using conveyors and operational controls provides automated handling of the perishables from receiving, through precooling and treatment, through processing and packaging, preferably to a MAP process, and then to distribution.

An improved system and method for treating, precooling, handling, and packaging perishable products uses a mobile container enhanced with increased capacity refrigeration and air flow to recirculate functional substances including sanitizers, and ripening management and conditioning agents across the surface of perishable products during the precooling step. The mobile container is a prefabricated container or is modified from a standard intermodal container or over-the-road semi-trailer. The enhanced forced air and/or refrigeration equipment is contained within the container and/or mounted on the top and/or side exterior of the container and can accomplish rapid cooling. The mobile container can be located near harvest or facilities with no cooling assets. A combined system using conveyors and operational controls provides automated handling of the perishables from receiving, through precooling and treatment, through processing and packaging, preferably to a MAP process, and then to distribution.

A dual waterfall cabinet includes a hollow basin having front and rear openings to allow workpieces to move therethrough. The cabinet also includes waterfall assemblies on either side of the hollow basin that form waterfalls of solution to be applied to the workpieces. To provide thorough interior and exterior coverage, the distance between the waterfalls can vary along a length of the cabinet.

A dual waterfall cabinet includes a hollow basin having front and rear openings to allow workpieces to move therethrough. The cabinet also includes waterfall assemblies on either side of the hollow basin that form waterfalls of solution to be applied to the workpieces. To provide thorough interior and exterior coverage, the distance between the waterfalls can vary along a length of the cabinet.