Evaluation of solar-powered cold storage and evaporative cooling system as off-grid methods for postharvest vegetable storage: Evidence from a laboratory Experiment in Nigeria

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dc.creatorSalaudeen, Kamaldeen Oladimeji
dc.creatorYamauchi, Futoshi
dc.creatorTakeshima, Hiroyuki
dc.creatorAredo, Samson Dejene
dc.date2026-04-24
dc.date2026-04-24T21:56:44Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T15:05:43Z
dc.descriptionThis study examined the postharvest storage potentials of a solar-powered cool storage and an off-grid, metal-in-wall evaporative coolant. Temperature drop and relative humidity (RH) increase were used to analyze the performance of cooling systems. Tomato (United Trading Company (UTC) variety), orange (Dan Benue variety) and carrot (Orange Chantenay) were obtained from the international fruits market in Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria. The items were sorted and stored in three different storage conditions: room temperature (RT), solar-powered cold storage, and metal-in-wall evaporative cooling systems. Mass loss, color, hardness, total soluble solids and titratable acids, carotenoids, vitamin C, and rate of nutrient degradation were among the quality indicators tested. The study shows that the solar-powered cold storage outperformed all other storage methods across the evaluated parameters; it preserved fruit firmness, significantly reduced the rate of color change, and minimized mass and nutrient losses, outperforming the metal-in-wall evaporative cooling system. For instance, tomato mass losses observed in 24 days were 42.66, 63.79, and 85.45 percent in the solar-powered cold storage, evaporative coolant, and ambient storage, respectively. Economic advantages of the above technologies, however, require careful consideration of investment costs and longer-term durability and benefits.
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/182630
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/94361
dc.languageen
dc.publisherInternational Food Policy Research Institute
dc.relationhttps://doi.org/10.1111/agec.12771
dc.relationhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5542-6_24
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceSalaudeen, Kamaldeen Oladimeji; Yamauchi, Futoshi; Takeshima, Hiroyuki; and Aredo, Samson Dejene. 2026. Evaluation of solar-powered cold storage and evaporative cooling system as off-grid methods for postharvest vegetable storage: Evidence from a laboratory experiment in Nigeria. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2411. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182630
dc.subjectfood losses
dc.subjectfood waste
dc.subjectfood preservation
dc.subjectvegetables
dc.subjectsolar energy
dc.subjectevaporative cooling
dc.subjectcold storage
dc.subjectcooling
dc.titleEvaluation of solar-powered cold storage and evaporative cooling system as off-grid methods for postharvest vegetable storage: Evidence from a laboratory Experiment in Nigeria
dc.typeWorking Paper

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Instituto Internacional de Investigación sobre Políticas Alimentarias (IFPRI)