This paper presents an economic analyzes of a vacuum pre-cooling unit for lettuce in Brazil. The fixed and local operational costs were considered and the benefits derived from the investment were quantified considering the actual losses of horticultural products. The obtained results indicate a satisfactory period of return for the project (less than 1 year) although the investment is considered quite high.
Lactuca sativa; refrigeration; pre-cooling; cold chain; post-harvest losses
