Produce storage temperature and humidity data
Recommended storage conditions for common fruits and vegetables, taken directly from USDA Agriculture Handbook 66. Each row links to the exact page used. Use them as a design-basis starting point, not a substitute for variety-specific advice.
21 of 21 commodities
| Commodity | Temperature | Relative humidity | Approx. storage life | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | -1 to 4 °C | 90–95% | 3–6 months, in some cases longer | Variety-dependent. | HB66 PDF p.190 |
| Pears | -1 °C | 90–94% | Not stated in summary | Pacific Northwest storage practice. | HB66 PDF p.482 |
| Grapes (table) | -1 to 0 °C | 90–95% | Not stated in summary | — | HB66 PDF p.355 |
| Oranges — Florida & Texas | 0 to 1 °C | 85–90% | Up to 12 weeks | — | HB66 PDF p.452 |
| Oranges — California & Arizona | 3 to 8 °C | 90–95% | Up to 12 weeks | — | HB66 PDF p.452 |
| Lemons | 7 to 12 °C | 85–95% | Up to 6 months under the right conditions | — | HB66 PDF p.392 |
| Bananas (green) | 13 to 14 °C | 90–95% | Not stated in summary | — | HB66 PDF p.235 |
| Mangoes (mature green) | 10 to 13 °C | 85–90% | 14–28 days | Depending on variety. | HB66 PDF p.418 |
| Avocados (unripe) | 5 to 12 °C | 85–95% | Not stated in summary | Cultivar-dependent; Hass quality reduced after 3–4 weeks. | HB66 PDF p.228 |
| Tomatoes (red) | 7 °C | Not stated | A couple of days | Mature-green fruit ripens normally at 13–21 °C; chilling-sensitive. | HB66 PDF p.593 |
| Potatoes (cured, fresh consumption) | 7 to 10 °C | 95–99% | 2–12 months | Depends on harvest quality, facilities, variety and sprout inhibitors. | HB66 PDF p.517 |
| Onions (pungent, dry) | 0 °C | 65–75% | 6–9 months | — | HB66 PDF p.447 |
| Carrots (mature, topped) | 0 °C | 98–100% | 7–9 months | — | HB66 PDF p.274 |
| Lettuce | As close to 0 °C as possible | 98–100% | No type keeps longer than 4 weeks | — | HB66 PDF p.397 |
| Cabbage | 0 °C | 98–100% | Depends on cultivar, quality and conditions | — | HB66 PDF p.266 |
| Broccoli | 0 °C | 98–100% | 2–3 weeks | — | HB66 PDF p.258 |
| Strawberries | 0 °C | 90–95% | Up to 7 days | Depending on disease pressure. | HB66 PDF p.569 |
| Blueberries | -0.5 to 0 °C | Above 90% | Up to 2 weeks (highbush/lowbush); up to 4 weeks (rabbiteye) | — | HB66 PDF p.250 |
| Cherries (sweet) | -1 to 0 °C | Over 95% | 2–4 weeks | — | HB66 PDF p.292 |
| Garlic | -1 to 0 °C | 60–70% | More than 9 months | — | HB66 PDF p.343 |
| Sweet potatoes (cured) | 14 ± 1 °C | 90% | Up to 1 year without sprouting | Sensory quality declines with extended storage. | HB66 PDF p.577 |
Source, licence and freshness
USDA Agriculture Handbook 66, The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, and Florist and Nursery Stocks (2016), USDA Agricultural Research Service. U.S. federal government work — public domain in the United States. Values checked against the source on 2026-10-17. Static edition — no live feed.
Limitations
Conditions vary by cultivar, maturity, growing region, pre-cooling and mixed-storage compatibility (ethylene, odours, chilling injury). “Not stated in summary” means the handbook chapter did not give that value in its optimum-conditions section — we leave it blank rather than estimate.
Turn a storage condition into a load estimate with the cold room heat load calculator.