Refrigerated Processing and Storage
ASHRAE Technical Committee 10.5

The ASHRAE Handbook is published in a series of four volumes, one of which is revised each year, ensuring that no volume is older than four years. TC 10.5 is responsible for developing and maintaining the following chapters in the ASHRAE REFRIGERATION HANDBOOK.

REFRIGERATION: Thermal Properties of Foods and Beverages
Thermal properties of foods and beverages must be known to perform the various heat transfer calculations involved in de-signing storage and refrigeration equipment and estimating process times for refrigerating, freezing, heating, or drying of foods and beverages. Because the thermal properties of foods and beverages strongly depend on chemical composition and temperature, and because many types of food are available, it is nearly impossible to experimentally determine and tabulate the thermal properties of foods and beverages for all possible conditions and compositions. However, composition data for foods and beverages are readily available from sources such as Holland et al. (1991) and USDA (1975). These data consist of the mass fractions of the major components found in foods. Thermal properties of foods can be predicted by using these composition data in conjunction with temperature-dependent mathematical models of thermal properties of the individual food constituents.

REFRIGERATION: Cooling and Freezing Times of Foods
Numerous methods for predicting the cooling and freezing times of foods and beverages have been proposed, based on numerical, analytical, and empirical analysis. Selecting an appropriate estimation method from the many available methods can be challenging. This chapter reviews selected procedures available for estimating the air-blast convective cooling and freezing times of foods and beverages, and presents examples of these procedures. These procedures use the thermal properties of foods, discussed in Chapter 19.

REFRIGERATION: Commodity Storage Requirements
This chapter presents information on storage requirements of many perishable foods that enter the market on a commercial scale. Also included is a short discussion on the storage of furs and fabrics. The data are based on the storage of fresh, high-quality commodities that have been properly harvested, handled, and cooled.

REFRIGERATION: Food Microbiology and Refrigeration
Refrigeration’s largest overall application is the prevention or retardation of microbial, physiological, and chemical changes in foods. Even at temperatures near the freezing point, foods may deteriorate through growth of microorganisms, changes caused by enzymes, or chemical reactions. Holding foods at low temperatures merely reduces the rate at which these changes take place. A few spoilage organisms can grow at or below temperatures at which food begins to freeze, but their growth rate is greatly reduced below that at ambient temperatures. Refrigeration also plays a major role in maintaining a safe food supply. Overall, the leading factor causing foodborne illness is improper food-holding temperatures. Another important factor is improperly sanitized equipment. Engineering directly affects the safety and stability of the food supply in design of cleanable equipment and facilities, as well as maintenance of environmental conditions that inhibit microbial growth. This chapter briefly discusses the microbiology of foods and the effect of design decisions on the production of safe and wholesome foods. Methods of applying refrigeration to specific foods are discussed in Chapters 30 to 42.

REFRIGERATION: Refrigerated-Facility Design
Refrigerated facilities are any buildings or sections of a building that achieve controlled storage conditions using refrigeration. Two basic storage facilities are (1) coolers that protect commodities at temperatures usually above 32°F (0°C) and (2) low-temperature rooms (freezers) operating under 32°F (0°C) to prevent spoilage or to maintain or extend product Industrial Food-Freezing Systems Freezing is a method of food preservation that slows the physical changes and chemical and microbiological activity that cause deterioration in foods. Reducing temperature slows molecular and microbial activity in food, thus extending useful storage life. Although every product has an individual ideal storage temperature, most frozen food products are stored at 0 to –30°F (–18 to –35°C). Chapter 21 lists frozen storage temperatures for specific products. This chapter covers general freezing methods and systems. Additional information on freezing specific products is covered in Chapters 23, 30 to 33, and 38 to 42. Related information can be obtained in Chapters 19 and 20, which cover thermal properties of foods as well as their cooling and freezing times. Information on refrigeration system practices is given in Chapters 1 to 4.

REFRIGERATION: Methods of Pre-cooling Fruits, Vegetables, and Cut Flowers
Precooling is the rapid removal of field heat from freshly harvested fruits and vegetables before shipping, storage, or processing. Prompt precooling inhibits growth of microorganisms that cause decay, reduces enzymatic and respiratory activity, and reduces moisture loss. Thus, proper precooling reduces spoilage and retards loss of preharvest freshness and quality (Becker and Fricke 2002).

REFRIGERATION: Industrial Food-Freezing Systems
Freezing is a method of food preservation that slows the physical changes and chemical and microbiological activity that cause deterioration in foods. Reducing temperature slows molecular and microbial activity in food, thus extending useful storage life. Although every product has an individual ideal storage temperature, most frozen food products are stored at 0 to –30°F (–18 to –35°C). Chapter 21 lists frozen storage temperatures for specific products. This chapter covers general freezing methods and systems. Additional information on freezing specific products is covered in Chapters 23, 30 to 33, and 38 to 42. Related information can be obtained in Chapters 19 and 20, which cover thermal properties of foods as well as their cooling and freezing times. Information on refrigeration system practices is given in Chapters 1 to 4.

REFRIGERATION: Meat Products
Around the world about 4 to 5 million (0.4 million in the United States) four-legged animals such as hogs, cattle, calves, buffalo, water buffalo, lambs, sheep, goats, and deer are slaughtered each day to supply the demand for red meats and their products. The majority of these animals are slaughtered in commercial slaughterhouses (abattoirs) under supervision, although a small portion (0.08% in the United States) are still killed on the farm.

REFRIGERATION: Poultry Products
Poultry, and broilers in particular, are the most widely grown farm animal on earth. Two major challenges face the poultry industry: (1) keeping food safe from human pathogens carried by poultry in small numbers that could multiply, sometimes to dangerous levels, during processing, handling, and meal preparation; and (2) developing environmentally sound, economical waste management facilities. Innovative engineering and refrigeration are a part of the solutions for these issues.

REFRIGERATION: Fishery Products
This chapter covers preservation and processing of fresh and frozen fishery products; handling of fresh fish aboard vessels and ashore; the technology of freezing fish; and present commercial trends in freezing, frozen storage, and distribution of seafood. See Chapter 40 for additional information regarding fishery products for precooked and prepared foods, and Chapter 26 for more on marine refrigeration.

REFRIGERATION: Dairy Products
Raw milk is either processed for beverage milks, creams, and related milk products for marketing, or is used for the manufacture of dairy products. Milk is defined in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations and the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO). Milk products are defined in 21CFR131 to 135. Public Law 519 defines butter. Note that there are many nonstandard dairy-based products that may be processed and manufactured by the equipment described in this chapter. Dairy plant operations include receiving raw milk; purchase of equipment, supplies, and services; processing milk and milk products; manufacture of frozen dairy desserts, butter, cheeses, and cultured products; packaging; maintenance of equipment and other facilities; quality control; sales and distribution; engineering; and research.

REFRIGERATION: Eggs and Egg Products
About 69% of the table eggs produced in the United States are sold as shell eggs. The remainder are further processed into liquid, frozen, or dehydrated egg products that are used in food service or as an ingredient in food products. Small amounts of further processed eggs are converted to retail egg products, mainly mayonnaise, salad dressings, and egg substitutes. Shell egg processing includes cleaning, washing, drying, candling for interior and exterior defects, sizing, and packaging. Further processed eggs require shell removal, filtering, blending, pasteurization, and possibly freezing or dehydration.

REFRIGERATION: Deciduous Tree and Vine Fruit
The most obvious losses from marketing fruit crops are caused by mechanical injury, decay, and aging. Losses in moisture, vitamins, and sugars are less obvious, but they adversely affect quality and nutrition. Rough handling and holding at undesirably high or low temperatures increase loss. Loss can be substantially reduced by greater care in handling and by following recommended storage practices.

REFRIGERATION: Citrus Fruit, Bananas, and Subtropical Fruit
This chapter covers the harvesting, handling, processing, storage requirements, and possible disorders of fresh market citrus fruit grown in Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona; of bananas; and of subtropical fruit grown in California, Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

REFRIGERATION: Vegetables
This chapter covers postharvest handling, cooling, packaging, in-transit preservation, and storage at destination locations for fresh vegetables. It also gives storage requirements for specific vegetables, including potential product deterioration due to improper handling and storage conditions. Vegetable precooling is covered in Chapter 28, and vegetable processing and freezing in Chapter 40. Chapter 21 also provides storage requirements for many types of vegetables.

REFRIGERATION: Fruit Juice Concentrates and Chilled-Juice Products
Citrus products, especially orange juice, comprise the largest percentage of the total volume of juices sold in the United States. Much of the technology used in processing noncitrus juices was developed from citrus processing.

REFRIGERATION: Beverages
This chapter discusses the processes and use of refrigeration in breweries, wineries, and carbonated beverage plants.
Processed and Prepared Foods
There are many categories of prepared foods. This chapter covers prepared meals, fruits, vegetables, and potato products and gives an overview of the HVAC&R requirements of facilities that process these products.

REFRIGERATION: Processed and Prepared Foods
There are many categories of prepared foods. This chapter covers prepared meals, fruits, vegetables, and potato products and gives an overview of the HVAC&R requirements of facilities that process these products.

REFRIGERATION: Bakery Products
Refrigeration plays an important part in modern bakery production. This chapter addresses refrigeration and air conditioning as applied to bakery products, including items distributed (1) at ambient temperature, (2) refrigerated but unfrozen, and (3) frozen.

REFRIGERATION: Chocolates, Candies, Nuts, Dried Fruits, and Dried Vegetables
Air conditioning and refrigeration are essential for successful candy manufacturing and storage, and for storing nuts, dried fruits, and dried vegetables. Proper atmospheric control increases production, lowers production costs, and improves product quality.

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ASHRAE HVAC REFRIGERATION HANDBOOK

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Technical committees develop and sponsor technical sessions at the winter and annual conferences. Information about their future technical program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Program Subcommittee meeting

ASHRAE publishes papers and transactions from presentations at its conference events. In addition, ASHRAE records most of the seminar sessions from its conferences on DVD. These DVDs are ideal for use at chapter meetings, in university courses, or company lunch and learns. Products available from the most recent conference may be found here.

Technical Committees are responsible for identifying, proposing, selecting bidders, and monitoring research projects funded by ASHRAE. Information about their specific research program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Research Subcommittee meeting.

TC 10.05 has the following research project underway (co-sponsored with TC 10.01):

1634-RP GUIDE FOR SUSTAINABLE REFRIGERATED FACILITIES AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS 
The Guide will serve designers, contractors and operators of refrigerated facilities and industrial and commercial refrigeration systems. The intent is that this Guide will be of broad interest in this sector in addition to designers, contractors, and operators, it will also be of value to educators, utilities, policy makers and others involved in the energy efficiency and sustainability business.

Under Development or RAC Review:

RTAR 1433: The Effect of Loss of Vapor Barrier Integrity on Insulation Performance for Facilities Operating Below 0°F

WS 1434: Refrigerated Facilities Doorway Infiltration Air Energy Reduction

 ASHRAE writes standards for the purpose of establishing consensus for: 1) methods of test for use in commerce and 2) performance criteria for use as facilitators with which to guide the industry. ASHRAE publishes the following three types of voluntary consensus standards: Method of Measurement or Test, Standard Design and Standard Practice. ASHRAE does not write rating standards unless a suitable rating standard will not otherwise be available. ASHRAE is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and follows ANSI's requirements for due process and standards development.

Please continue to check back, though. Recent activity in California and at the Department of Energy have persueded TC 10.5 to investigate the possibility of developing a standard for the construction and/or performance of refrigerated storage facilities.

Check recent meeting minutes for more information.

 Frequently Asked Questions ASHRAE Technical FAQs are provided as a service to ASHRAE members, users of ASHRAE publications, and the general public. While every effort has been made to ensure their accuracy and reliability, they are advisory and provided for informational purposes only, and in many cases represent only one person’s view. They are not intended and should not be relied on as an official statement of ASHRAE.

Technical questions not addressed may be submitted to the ASHRAE Technical Services department at tse@ashrae.net.