Ventilation and refrigeration systems play essential roles in professional spud storage, in order to maintain potato quality and prevent sprouting until the stock is sold and the new harvest arrives.

When considering the ventilation systems, both growers and processors increasingly require energy-efficient integrated equipment that can help with determining the correct storage temperature and in turn, the airflow needed in the ventilation of the facilities.

Experts with the Washington State University (WSU) said not so long ago that if it pays to store potatoes for several months, it will pay to ventilate to maintain top quality. In general, a ventilation system should force air up through the pile of cultivars. The air must be maintained at the proper temperature and relative humidity and a practical method of forcing air through a pile of potatoes is to introduce the air into a system of delivery ducts installed under the pile.

Based on the Canadian Horticulture Council (CHC) engineers’ expertise, ventilation systems capable of blending outside air with inside air should be designed to move air at a rate of no less than 1.0 cfm/cwt (20 cfm/ton) of spuds stored. Wet or field frosted potatoes or tubers affected by blight, pinkeye, blackleg, water soak, or soft rot will benefit from higher rates of ventilation (2-2.5 cfm/cwt, 40-50 cfm/ton) for rapid cooling and drying.

When potatoes are stored for a longer period in a hot or a very cold climate, outside air ventilation only is not suitable to maintain potatoes at storage temperature. In these situations, mechanical cooling is a key tool to extend the storage period and keep potato quality high. Aimed at properly maintaining potatoes for longer periods, refrigeration systems are advised to be put in place.

Refrigeration is a key process of modern-day potato production, which allows growers and agricultural companies to keep potato crops from spoiling during storage. Ensuring a storage facility runs efficiently is a critical part of managing a successful potato production system, as disease-free, firm potatoes have a much greater value on the market.

Amid the recent extreme weather conditions, the need for application-specific refrigeration technology has improved in the potato market. The two critical environmental factors involved in properly storing potatoes are temperature and humidity and modern refrigeration solutions have tried tackling these specific problems.

Potato storage refrigeration technology today is vastly improved over the past four decades, with better control and ease of use.

You can read the rest of this article in your complimentary e-copy of Issue 3 of Potato Business Dossier 2021, which you can access by clicking here.