Mechanical ventilation
Under optimum conditions in commercial warehouses, potatoes can be stored for up to 10–12 months. The commercial storage and retrieval of potatoes involves several phases: first "drying" surface moisture; "wound healing" at 85% to 95% relative humidity and temperatures below ; a staged "cooling phase"; a "holding" phase; and a "reconditioning" phase, during which the tubers are slowly warmed. Mechanical ventilation is used at various points during the process to prevent condensation and the accumulation of carbon dioxide.