Mitsubishi Electric Corp. said Wednesday it has developed a commercial refrigerator that keeps fruit and vegetables fresh an average of five times longer than conventional machines.
Mitsubishi Electric said it will start selling the new refrigerator for 4 million yen on Thursday, with first-year sales targeted at 50 units.
Developed jointly with the National Institute of Fruit Tree Science of the National Agricultural Research Organization, the new refrigerator keeps fruit and vegetables in cool, high-humidity conditions. To avoid fungus, it generates a mixture of high-density negative ions and low-density ozone.
It keeps grapes fresh for five months -- about 10 times longer than conventional commercial refrigerators. Peaches can last about six times longer, for 1 1/2 months.
Mitsubishi Electric said the machine is the first of its kind anywhere to be put on the market.