MH Refrigeration Solutions: Portable Cold Room to Reduce Tomato and Pepper Losses

MH Refrigeration Solutions, S.L., based in Murcia, Spain, is participating in the European FUSION project, bringing its expertise in industrial refrigeration. Their main contribution is the design and implementation of a Portable Cold Room (PCR), aimed at preserving food quality from harvest, even under challenging climatic conditions.

Four Decades of Expertise Applied to FUSION
The company has over 40 years of experience in industrial refrigeration, providing custom-made solutions and covering the entire project lifecycle, from conceptual engineering to final validation. In FUSION, MH Refrigeration applies this expertise to the challenge of reducing food loss in the tomato and pepper value chains.

The Technical Core: Portable Cold Room
The PCR is a mobile and efficient storage solution:

• Circular economy: built from repurposed maritime containers, providing a standardized and transportable structure.
• Advanced thermal insulation: high-density materials minimize heat transfer and maintain stable internal temperatures.
• Natural refrigerants and redundancy: uses R-290 (propane) and modular units, increasing efficiency and ensuring cooling continuity in case of component failure.
• Solar-powered autonomy: designed to operate mainly on solar energy, with batteries and thermal storage to maintain continuous operation.

Impact on the Value Chain
The PCR is optimized for the temporary storage of tomatoes and peppers, helping extend shelf life, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve the economic stability of farmers in the Mediterranean and North African regions. Its modular design allows adaptation to other perishable products in the future.

Role within the FUSION Consortium
Within the consortium, MH Refrigeration Solutions ensures that the innovations developed can be implemented under real industrial conditions, integrating different technologies and following rigorous validation and safety procedures.

Next Steps
The project will continue with the field implementation of the PCR, aiming to demonstrate that this technology can preserve product quality and contribute to reducing food losses.