Amélia C. Faustino

Although precooling by forced air is widely used to remove field heat from fresh table grapes, there is no knowledge about its use and efficiency. Factors influencing the process include temperature and relative air humidity, amount and initial temperature of the fruits, air velocity, and packaging. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cooling effect and efficiency of forced air cooling on table grapes in two types of packages. The experimental method used randomized blocks, in a 2 × 3 factorials, corresponding to two package types (polystyrene and cardboard) and three heights on the pallet - lower, middle, and upper - with four replicates. The temperature gradient in the direction of the airflow was evaluated. There was heterogeneity in cooling, both vertically and horizontally, on the pallets with a central heat zone for both the directions. None of the packages was suitable for fast cooling as both types of packages showed a cooling time of 15.5 h; moreover, relative humidity values were far below the ideal value for table grapes.

Free-range broiler producers are concerned with the thermal environment and lighting of their facilities and seek to improve these factors for the increased welfare of their broilers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatialization of illuminance and enthalpy in two free-range broiler sheds, one of masonry with a clay tile roof and the other built of wood with a straw roof. The data on air temperature, relative air humidity, and illuminance were recorded between September and October 2018 for five non-consecutive weeks in two periods during the day: morning (9 hours) and afternoon (15 hours). The data were collected at 42 points per shed, spaced 0.40 × 0.75 m. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, considering two periods and two sheds. Spatial dependence was evaluated using geostatistics and interpolation maps by kriging. The facilities presented strong or moderate spatial dependence for all observed variables and periods. The small edges and lack of management of curtains resulted in the masonry shed having higher illuminance values during both periods. Although it did not present ideal values for a comfortable environment, the wood shed was more thermally efficient.