A method is provided for operating a controlled atmosphere (CA) system to regulate the atmosphere in a cargo storage space. The CA system comprises a gas exchange module operable to vary the level of a component gas in the cargo storage space, a control module to control operation of the gas exchange module, and at least one of an oxygen sensor and a carbon dioxide sensor, each being operable to measure a parameter indicative of a level of oxygen or carbon dioxide respectively in the cargo storage space. The method comprises: the control module determining a respiration parameter value indicative of the rate of change of oxygen level and/or the rate of change of carbon dioxide level in the cargo storage space due to respiration of goods in the cargo storage space; and the control module controlling operation of the gas exchange module based on the determined respiration parameter value to target an oxygen level setpoint and/or a carbon dioxide level setpoint.

A synergistic combination of butyric-acid-producing prebiotics and probiotics, which is used in the fields of foods, dietary supplements and drugs. Specifically, a composition containing probiotics and prebiotics, a food, dietary supplement or pharmaceutical preparation including the composition, and the use of the composition for alleviating and improving a disease or a discomfort, or reducing the occurrence of a disease or a discomfort, wherein the disease or discomfort is related to insufficient butyric acid in the intestine, or to insufficient butyric-acid-producing microorganisms in the intestine. A method for promoting Bifidobacterium lactis HNO19 to produce butyric acid, the method including using a galactooligosaccharide and lactulose as carbon sources for the cultivation of Bifidobacterium lactis HNO19, wherein the weight ratio of the galactooligosaccharide to lactulose is 1:1 to 4:1.

A synergistic combination of butyric-acid-producing prebiotics and probiotics, which is used in the fields of foods, dietary supplements and drugs. Specifically, a composition containing probiotics and prebiotics, a food, dietary supplement or pharmaceutical preparation including the composition, and the use of the composition for alleviating and improving a disease or a discomfort, or reducing the occurrence of a disease or a discomfort, wherein the disease or discomfort is related to insufficient butyric acid in the intestine, or to insufficient butyric-acid-producing microorganisms in the intestine. A method for promoting Bifidobacterium lactis HNO19 to produce butyric acid, the method including using a galactooligosaccharide and lactulose as carbon sources for the cultivation of Bifidobacterium lactis HNO19, wherein the weight ratio of the galactooligosaccharide to lactulose is 1:1 to 4:1.

A method of infusing salt can include heating salt to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The method can also apply a liquid additive solution to the heated salt to create an infused salt. The temperature of the heated salt can be sufficiently high that the salt remains above the boiling point of water for a first period of time after the liquid additive solution is applied thereto.

A method of infusing salt can include heating salt to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The method can also apply a liquid additive solution to the heated salt to create an infused salt. The temperature of the heated salt can be sufficiently high that the salt remains above the boiling point of water for a first period of time after the liquid additive solution is applied thereto.

A method for treating a substrate with a volatile liquid, crop-preservative formulation includes transporting a predetermined quantity of the formulation from a reservoir to an injection device and applying the predetermined quantity to the substrate. The substrate may thereafter be in proximity to a crop to be treated by the vapor from the formulation. The substrate is most conveniently a portion of a container in which the crop is stored or shipped.

A method for treating a substrate with a volatile liquid, crop-preservative formulation includes transporting a predetermined quantity of the formulation from a reservoir to an injection device and applying the predetermined quantity to the substrate. The substrate may thereafter be in proximity to a crop to be treated by the vapor from the formulation. The substrate is most conveniently a portion of a container in which the crop is stored or shipped.

A method of infusing salt can include heating salt to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The method can also apply a liquid additive solution to the heated salt to create an infused salt. The temperature of the heated salt can be sufficiently high that the salt remains above the boiling point of water for a first period of time after the liquid additive solution is applied thereto.

A method of infusing salt can include heating salt to a temperature above the boiling point of water. The method can also apply a liquid additive solution to the heated salt to create an infused salt. The temperature of the heated salt can be sufficiently high that the salt remains above the boiling point of water for a first period of time after the liquid additive solution is applied thereto.

A method is provided for operating an active controlled atmosphere (CA) system to regulate the atmosphere in a cargo storage space. The controlled atmosphere system comprises: a plurality of gas exchange modules, each being operable to vary the level of a respective component gas in the cargo storage space, and/or at least one gas exchange module operable in a plurality of different modes to vary the level of a respective component gas in the cargo storage space; and a control module configured to control operation of each gas exchange module according to a plurality of different predetermined atmospheric control logics. Each atmospheric control logic defines operational gas exchange modules and/or operational modes for use over respective operational ranges of atmospheric conditions, and each atmospheric control logic is configured to cause operation of a different combination of gas exchange modules and/or modes over a comparable operational range, independently of any setpoints for gas component levels. The method comprises: the control module selecting an operational atmospheric control logic from the plurality of different predetermined atmospheric control logics for atmospheric control of the cargo storage space; and the control module controlling operation of each gas exchange module dependent on the selected operational atmospheric control logic to regulate the atmosphere in the cargo storage space.