PURPOSE: To permit the preservation of a perishable foods for a long time without changing the quality thereof by irradiating upon the perishable foods the light sent out from xenon lamp and the rays from black lights for a predetermined time and thereafter sealing the same in an air-barrier container.

CONSTITUTION: Perishable foods are carried in a tunnel 3 by a net 2. Xenon lamps 4 are provided above and below the net 2 and a reflecting plate is formed inside the tunnel 3 and, therefore, the light sent out from the xenon lamps is irradiated upon the perishable foods being conveyed from above and below. Black lights 5 are provided downstream in the net moving direction and the rays sent out therefrom are irradiated upon the perishable foods. The perishable foods are force off from a base 6 by a cylinder 7 and dropped into and received by a bucket 22 with a lowercase formed therein. On the other hand, a water absorbing member placed on a base 11 is carried onto a base 14 by a conveyor 12 and forced off therefrom by a cylinder 15, dropped into and received by the bucket 22. When the bucket 22 reaches a position corresponding to a gas conveyor 41, a nitrogen gas is admitted from a nozzle 42 into the container composed of a lower case and an upper lid.