Carrots can be kept for 6 to 8 months but come with two major points of attention: preventing dehydration and lowering metabolism (the respiration and digestion that comes with it). This is what is important when cooling carrots.
The special thing about cooling carrots
More than for any other crop carrots need special care, due to its lack of a wax layer or protection layer that avoids dehydration. This is why carrots are often stored with the earth still attached: the earth insulates.
Next to this, a properly designed cooling installing is required. dehydration is often avoided by creating the minimal possible difference between the evaporation and room temperatures. The process of dehydration is countered by enlarging the cooling surface of the evaporator. Yet, even the most basic points of the storage rooms should be perfectly executed: damp-proof finishing of all walls and doors! This ensures a high humidity rate in storage and will therefore prevent the carrot from losing moisture to its surroundings.
The storage temperature of carrots is quite low in comparison with other crops: close to zero degrees Celsius. And because the respiration heat is high, one would like to reach the low temperature quite quickly. Hence, it is important to have enough cooling capacity when cooling carrots.
Also, in carrot storage we would like to have almost no temperature difference between the front, left, right, back and the middle of the unit. A difference of over 1°C can result in a frozen box of carrots on one side, and a rotten box on the other.
Intelligence in storage
To keep control over all this, Geerlofs has come up with the Gispro® technique.
This system provides for maximum overview and control comfort, in the cold storage, at your desk and, if desired, at our helpdesk.
For over 80 years, Geerlofs has been a specialist in cooling carrots.