This　study　proposed　an　integrated　approach　to　evaluate　the　efficiency　of　forced-air　cooling　of　apples　stacked　on　pallets.　Computational　fluid　dynamics　(CFD)　modeling　was　used　to　evaluate　the　cooling　rate,　uniformity,　moisture　loss,　and　energy　consumption　during　precooling　of　apples.　Experiments　were　conducted　to　quantify　the　incidence　of　chilling　injury.　A　reasonable　increase　in　cooling　rate　and　uniformity　was　obtained　with　an　increase　in　air-inflow　rate　to　2.31　L　s(-1)　kg(-1);　any　further　increase　in　air-inflow　rate　will　lead　to　a　relatively　low　increase　in　cooling　rate　and　uniformity,　but　a　significant　increase　in　energy　consumption　and　cooling　injury.　An　exponential　relationship　exists　between　fan　power　(P-w)　and　pressure　differential　(Delta　P)　as　well　as　between　total　fan　energy　consumption　(E-c)　and　air-inflow　rate　(E-c　=　hx(k)).　Finally,　the　mass　loss　of　fruit　is　primarily　influenced　by　cooling　time　rather　than　air-inflow　rate.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　Ltd　and　IIR.　All　rights　reserved.