cold storage

1. Protective storage, as of foods or furs, in a refrigerated place.
2. Informal. A state of being held in abeyance.

The storage of perishables at low temperatures, usually above freezing, by the use of refrigeration to increase the storage life. In general, the lower the temperature, the longer the storage life. If temperatures are maintained below the freezing point of the product stored, it is called freezer storage. Most fruits and many other products, however, are damaged by freezing and cannot be kept in freezer storage. A cold-storage plant is a large insulated building, with its attendant refrigeration equipment, for storage of commodities at low temperatures. Facilities are often included for quick-freezing fruits, vegetables, meats, and a variety of precooked foods and bakery products for the consumer convenience market. See also Refrigeration.