CFD　simulations　have　been　widely　used　in　the　study　of　precooling　process　of　fresh　fruits　and　vegetables.　This　work　established　a　quasi　real　three-dimensional　model　of　Fuji　apples,　by　comparing　the　wall　shear　stress,　drag　coefficient,　separation　angle　and　recirculation　length　of　an　apple　with　those　of　an　equal-diameter　sphere　over　a　large　Reynolds　number　range　(10~30　000),　and　whether　an　apple　can　be　directly　replaced　by　an　equal-diameter　sphere　in　the　study　of　CFD　models　was　verifed.　Moreover,　to　achieve　the　optimal　CFD　model　of　contact　points　between　apple　and　apple　(or　the　wall　of　boxes)　and　fully　consider　heat　transferring　by　contact　among　apples,　two　apples　contacting　with　each　other　were　studied.　From　the　accuracy　of　simulation　results　of　the　drag　coefficient　and　temperature　distribution　along　a　line　from　the　center　of　an　apple　to　the　center　of　another　apple,　the　optimal　size　range　of　four　different　ways　of　the　contact　point　modifications　(e.g.,　reduction,　expansion,　smoothing,　bridge)　for　different　Reynolds　number　range　was　determined.　The　results　showed　that　an　apple　can　be　replaced　by　an　equal-diameter　sphere　in　academic　research,　and　the　maximum　relative　deviation　was　about　15%　for　all　the　physical　parameters　in　the　whole　range　of　Reynolds　number;　the　accuracy　of　bridge　methods　was　the　best　in　four　different　ways　of　the　contact　point　modifications.　The　predicted　results　were　consistent　with　the　measured　results　by　comparing　simulation　results　with　those　of　experiments,　and　the　maximum　root-mean-square　error　and　average　relative　error　for　produce　temperature　were　1.514　and　21.07%,　respectively.　©　2016,　Chinese　Society　of　Agricultural　Machinery.　All　right　reserved.