Patent ID: 7389722

Claim:
A produce preservation system, including: an air pipe configured to receive atmospheric air; a first valve coupled to the air pipe and configured to allow varying rates of air flow therethrough; a gas pipe configured to receive a gas; a second valve coupled to the gas pipe and configured to allow varying rates of gas flow therethrough; a vacuum vessel configured to hold produce and to receive a mixture of air and gas downstream of the first valve and the second valve; a valve controller connected to the first valve and the second valve, and configured to adjust the first valve and the second valve in a first mode and a second mode; wherein the first mode is configured to maintain the first valve in a wide-open position and to adjust the second valve to achieve a predetermined gas-air ratio, and the second mode is configured to maintain the second valve in a partially closed position and to adjust the first valve to achieve the predetermined gas-air ratio; a mixing chamber that couples to the first valve and the second valve and includes a mixing-manifold configured to facilitate mixing of the air and the gas; a gas-air mixture distribution-manifold configured to distribute the gas-air mixture to the vacuum vessel; wherein the distribution-manifold includes a plurality of distribution pipes, each in communication with the mixing chamber and including an outlet in communication with the vacuum vessel.