A strainer basket system may include a reservoir in which a strainer basket is positioned and a chemical dispensing docking station. The chemical dispensing docking station may have a cavity that receives a container of chemical to be dispensed and a retention mechanism that is configured to mechanically engage and retain the container of chemical, when inserted into the cavity. The docking station may also include a piercing member positioned to pierce the container of chemical as the container of chemical is inserted into the cavity, thereby releasing chemical into the reservoir and/or strainer basket.

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 colling 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.

Provided is a bubble sterilizing cleaner capable of automatically sterilizing and objects to be cleaned to be cleaned, such as fruits and vegetables. The bubble sterilizing cleaner includes a bubble supply unit for spraying microbubbles into a cleaning tank and an aeration unit for discharging water or air to the cleaning tank to improve sterilizing and cleaning efficiency and reduce cleaning time, and includes a fluid supply means connected with a water inlet of the cleaning tank and the aeration unit to supply a fluid so that the water supply rate is adjustable in accordance with a condition of an installation location thereof.

A food preservation system is provided. The system includes a storage cabinet for storing foods, an electrolytic gas generator, a gas sensor and a control unit. The electrolytic gas generator is in fluid communication with the storage cabinet to output a first gas and a second gas to preserve the foods. The gas sensor is arranged in the storage cabinet to detect the concentration of the gases in the storage cabinet for obtaining gas concentration information which includes a first gas concentration and a second gas concentration. The control unit is electrically connected to the electrolytic gas generator and the gas sensor. According to the received gas concentration information, the control unit adjusts the applied voltage of the electrolytic gas generator to control the gas species generated by the electrolytic gas generator and the first and second gas concentrations in the storage cabinet.

A vegetable treatment method includes a step A of cutting vegetables as a treatment target into eating sizes; a step B of putting the vegetables in a container basket after the step A is performed; a step C of, while keeping the container basket completely submerged in a cleaning tank filled with a cleaning solution, moving the container basket at a moving speed of 0.15 to 0.7 m/min or circulating the cleaning solution in a stream at 3 to 10 L/min for 5 to 10 minutes after the step B is performed; and a step D of, while keeping the container basket completely submerged in a sterilization tank filled with a bactericide solution, moving the container basket at a moving speed of 0.15 to 0.7 m/min or circulating the bactericide solution in a stream at 3 to 10 L/min for 3 to 10 minutes after the step C is performed.

A system and methodology for rehydrating perishable items (e.g., flowers, fresh food items, such as fruits, vegetables, other produce, and nuts) during storage and transportation thereof. The osmotic rehydration apparatus includes a pressurized chamber, a humidifier, an ozone generator, an electrostatic sprayer, a reservoir containing saline, and an air compressor. The perishable items are placed in the osmotic chamber under positive pressure. A film of saline solution is applied to the surface of the perishable items via an electrostatic sprayer. The saline/chlorine film on the perishable items is dried, and the osmotic chamber is saturated with ozone gas via an ozone generator. The osmotic chamber is then saturated with tiny pure water droplets via a humidifier or an electrostatic sprayer. The pressure within the chamber is raised to a pressure above atmospheric pressure. The osmotic chamber is then placed inside a cooler at a temperature slightly above freezing.

A system and methodology for rehydrating perishable items (e.g., flowers, fresh food items, such as fruits, vegetables, other produce, and nuts) during storage and transportation thereof. The osmotic rehydration apparatus includes a pressurized chamber, a humidifier, an ozone generator, an electrostatic sprayer, a reservoir containing saline, and an air compressor. The perishable items are placed in the osmotic chamber under positive pressure. A film of saline solution is applied to the surface of the perishable items via an electrostatic sprayer. The saline/chlorine film on the perishable items is dried, and the osmotic chamber is saturated with ozone gas via an ozone generator. The osmotic chamber is then saturated with tiny pure water droplets via a humidifier or an electrostatic sprayer. The pressure within the chamber is raised to a pressure above atmospheric pressure. The osmotic chamber is then placed inside a cooler at a temperature slightly above freezing.

The present invention is directed to methods of treating a plant having a plant part. One method involves providing a plant having a plant part; applying an aqueous treatment formulation to the plant, where the aqueous treatment formulation comprises a thickener, a water soluble divalent salt, a foam control agent, a complexing agent, a film forming agent, and water; and harvesting the plant part, where the aqueous treatment formulation, when applied to a surface of a plant, creates a water fast film on the surface that permits permeation of an aqueous material to the plant while minimizing loss of moisture or loss of a plant treatment chemical from the plant as compared to when the composition is not applied to the surface of the plant. The present invention also relates to a methods of treating a harvested plant part and to the treated harvested plant parts.

The present invention is directed to methods of treating a plant having a plant part. One method involves providing a plant having a plant part; applying an aqueous treatment formulation to the plant, where the aqueous treatment formulation comprises a thickener, a water soluble divalent salt, a foam control agent, a complexing agent, a film forming agent, and water; and harvesting the plant part, where the aqueous treatment formulation, when applied to a surface of a plant, creates a water fast film on the surface that permits permeation of an aqueous material to the plant while minimizing loss of moisture or loss of a plant treatment chemical from the plant as compared to when the composition is not applied to the surface of the plant. The present invention also relates to a methods of treating a harvested plant part and to the treated harvested plant parts.

In a solution cultivation method for a low potassium vegetable, an entire cultivation period from seeding to harvesting is divided into a first cultivation period and a second cultivation period depending on the vegetable to be cultivated. In the first cultivation period, the vegetable is cultivated in a first culture solution containing a first fertilizer for solution cultivation which contains potassium. In the second cultivation period, the vegetable is cultivated in a second culture solution containing a second fertilizer for solution cultivation which does not substantially contain potassium. During the second cultivation period, an air flow is applied at a controlled speed to the growing point of the vegetable.