After garlic is harvested, its dormancy period is generally 2 to 3 months. After the dormancy period, at an ambient temperature ranging from 3°C to 28°C, garlic will sprout and grow leaves rapidly, consuming the nutrients in the stem. This will lead to the atrophy and shriveling of the bulb, greatly reducing its edible value, and in some cases, even causing it to rot. Using a fresh-keeping cold storage can significantly extend the fresh-keeping time of garlic and reduce losses during the preservation process, which is a matter of great concern for many vegetable farmers and vendors. So, what issues need to be paid attention to when storing garlic for freshness?

Precautions for Storing Garlic in a Fresh-Keeping Cold Storage

1. The fresh-keeping cold storage for garlic should be equipped with a sorting room to facilitate the sorting and processing of the purchased garlic.

2. The garlic cold storage should be equipped with a pre-cooling room. Garlic needs to be pre-cooled before being put into the storage to prevent fluctuations in the internal temperature of the storage caused by the direct entry of garlic.

3. The designed temperature of the garlic cold storage is around 0°C. The freezing point of garlic is -3°C. The lowest temperature of the cold storage should not be lower than -3°C, as garlic may be frostbitten if the temperature is lower than this level.

4. A relative humidity of around 70%-75% is optimal. Garlic has high requirements for relative humidity. If the humidity is too high, the surface of the garlic will become moldy, and this will gradually affect its internal quality. If the relative humidity is too low, there will be a large amount of moisture loss, and the garlic will easily become shriveled.

Temperature Influencing Factors of the Garlic Fresh-Keeping Cold Storage

1. Temperature: The lowest temperature for the fresh storage of garlic is -5°C to -7°C, and the suitable storage temperature is -1°C to -4°C.

2. Relative Humidity: It should not be higher than 80%, and 60%-70% is more suitable.

3. Gas Composition: The oxygen (O₂) content should not be lower than 1%, and a more suitable range is 1% to 3%; the carbon dioxide (CO₂) content should not exceed 18%, and it can be controlled between 12% and 16%. In addition, certain gases in the storage environment, such as ethylene, ethanol, and acetaldehyde, will affect the freshness preservation of garlic, and efforts should be made to avoid or remove these gases.

4. Harvesting Time: It is not beneficial for the freshness preservation of garlic if it is harvested too early or too late. The appropriate harvesting time is about 15 to 20 days after the garlic scapes are harvested, when the leaves wither and the false stems become soft.