The　current　packaging　designs　and　the　efficiency　of　forced-air　cooling　(FAC)　of　fresh　produce　can　be　considerably　improved　by　comprehensively　comparing　and　evaluating　the　existing　packaging　designs.　This　study　presents　a　market　survey　that　studies　samples　of　typical　apple　cartons　used　in　China.　Furthermore,　by　combining　experiment　and　computational　fluid　dynamics　(CFD)　modelling,　a　novel　integral　approach　is　proposed　to　evaluate　cooling　rate　and　uniformity,　energy　efficiency,　and　fruit　quality　(including　safety)　as　a　result　of　FAC　for　different　ventilated-packaging　designs.　The　process　uses　CFD　to　simulate　the　three-dimensional　spatio-temporal　distributions　of　airflow　and　product　temperatures　during　precooling.　In　addition,　experiments　on　chilling　injury　and　mass　loss　are　also　reported.　The　results　show　that　the　optimum　fresh-fruit　packaging　design　depends　on　the　product　size　and　the　location　of　the　product　and　tray　inside　the　packaging.　For　all　existing　package　designs,　the　optimal　air-inflow　velocity　is　found　to　lie　in　the　range　0.4-1　m/s　(or　3-5　L　s(-1)　kg(-1)),　any　further　increase　in　airflow　rate　simply　wastes　energy　because　it　leads　to　a　relatively　low　increase　in　cooling　rate　and　uniformity.　The　level　of　chilling　injury　and　mass　loss　per　box　show　a　different　trend　with　increasing　air-inflow　velocity.　The　accuracy　of　the　CFD　simulations　was　confirmed　by　a　good　agreement　with　experiments.　The　maximum　root　mean-square　error　and　mean　absolute　percentage　error　for　produce　temperature　are　0.727　degrees　C　and　18.69%,　respectively.　This　research　unveils　the　advantages　and　disadvantages　of　the　various　existing　packaging　designs　and　provides　a　reliable　theoretical　and　experimental　basis　for　achieving　an　integral　evaluation　of　the　performance　of　FAC.　(C)　2017　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.