New Purfresh Transport Service from Carrier Transicold Improves Quality and Enhances Food Safety of Produce Shipments

Carrier Transicold has launched the Purfresh™ Transport service under an exclusive agreement with Purfresh, Inc., providing the container shipping industry with a cost-effective, chemical-free means to protect produce cargoes from spoilage. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Corp., a business unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

Purfresh Transport technology purifies air and surfaces inside the container, helping to eliminate molds, yeasts and microscopic bacteria that can attack and ruin a container-load of perishables. Produce quality is preserved—without the use of undesirable chemicals, resulting in better firmness, weight, sugar content, taste and value.

“With Carrier’s Purfresh Transport service, a strong protective link has been added to the global cold chain,” said Luke DiMaggio, Carrier Transicold general manager, Global Service Operations, Container Products, in making the announcement with Purfresh at the Intermodal Association of North America’s Intermodal Expo. “The Purfresh Transport system can help assure goods reach their destinations in optimal condition, maximizing our customers’ return on investment.”

The Purfresh Transport service can improve customer profitability by reducing typical loss related to decay and food degradation, thus improving the yield of perishable cargoes, according to DiMaggio.

“Globally, up to 20 percent of post-harvest losses on average occur during transit,” DiMaggio said. “Purfresh technology utilizes ozone to help eliminate bacteria that spoils cargo and profits for growers, exporters, importers and shipping lines.”

Carrier will lease Purfresh Transport active purification systems to customers on a per-trip basis as part of its SeaCare™ Solutions program, saving customers the expense of large capital outlays. Carrier’s worldwide network of service centers will handle logistics, installation and removal of the Purfresh Transport systems on refrigerated containers prior to loading and after unloading at their final destinations.

Purfresh Transport service will be available in the first quarter 2010, starting with shipping lanes originating in Chile and serving ports on the U.S. West Coast. Carrier plans to roll out the Purfresh Transport service globally throughout 2010.

“With its unparalleled access to the global marine shipping market, Carrier is the right partner to deliver our Purfresh Transport solution,” said David Cope, president and CEO of Purfresh, Inc. “As global trade continues to expand, food safety is a growing concern, and worldwide growers, shippers, and importers are all searching for proven, cost-effective methods to protect their produce shipments. With the Purfresh-Carrier agreement, everyone—from the grower to the consumer—benefits from reduced losses, longer shelf life, fewer chemicals, and safer, higher quality produce.”

Scientifically proven in numerous laboratory studies and commercial trials involving a wide range of produce, the Purfresh Transport system generates and injects minute amounts of ozone to actively manage and purify a container’s atmosphere and surfaces.

The Purfresh Transport system provides 100-percent residue-free decay prevention with enhanced food safety. It is especially well suited for organic produce because the use of ozone is approved for organics by the United States Department of Agriculture. It is also approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as safe for treatment of food.

Another benefit of ozone is its ability to help regulate levels of ethylene, a hormone given off by fruits and vegetables that can accelerate the ripening process.

“Purfresh, Inc. has a well-established reputation among growers, packers and food storage facilities, and has tremendous leadership in science-based solutions to maintain the quality and freshness of produce,” DiMaggio said. “Its technology is exceptional and a great complement to Carrier’s services.”

Available for use with Carrier’s PrimeLINE®, EliteLINE® and ThinLINE® refrigeration units with a MicroLink® 2i or newer controller, the Purfresh Transport model 2100 mounts to the refrigeration systems in place of the evaporator fan access panel.

For more complete information about the Purfresh Transport service, turn to the experts at Carrier Transicold or visit www.container.carrier.com.