Determination of intensity of breathing of fruits and vegetables

The article considers the determination of the intensity of respiration and the intensity of heat release of fruits and vegetables associated with it. The research was conducted in 2017 in the conditions of Baksan Sady LLC, located in the Baksan district of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Analyzed winter and late-winter varieties of apples, Jonathan, Florina, Idared, Renet Simirenko, varieties of pears, citrus fruits, plums and some vegetables. Methods for determining the amount of carbon dioxide released are provided, provided that the simplest equipment is available. It is determined that an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide and a decrease in the concentration of oxygen, high humidity of the medium that are observed when packing fruits and vegetables in polymer films, together with a lower storage temperature, causes a decrease in the level of metabolism, evaporation of moisture, damage by phytopathogens. It has been established that due to the breathing of fruits and vegetables when stored in a package of varying degrees of tightness, a modified gas medium is created, which in some cases is favorable for storage of products. The intensity of heat release basically determines the possible height of the stack of products, at which satisfactory heat dissipation takes place, i.e., there is no self-heating of the product. For resistant to anaerobiosis varieties of apples, pears, citrus fruits, plums, some vegetables, effective fully sealed packaging products in polyethylene film. But for this storage technology should be used resistant to increased concentrations of carbon dioxide grade. Packages of small capacity from thin polyethylene film are inconvenient in operation. Therefore, the use of large containers of polyethylene of great thickness, i.e., practically gas-tight, but with the insertion of windows in the gas-permeable material, is introduced.