To prevent chilling injury, products susceptible to it must be stored at what kind of temperature?

• A. Higher temperature
• B. Lower temperature
• C. Freezing temperature
• D. Room temperature

Answer: (A)

Chilling injury happens when sensitive produce is kept at temperatures that are too cold but not frozen. To prevent it, store these products at a higher temperature—above the chilling threshold but still within their safe storage range—so cellular membranes stay stable and quality is preserved. Freezing temperatures cause their own damage, and room temperature or cooler, below-threshold temperatures can worsen chilling injury. So the approach to avoid chilling injury is to use higher-temperature storage within the product’s recommended range.