A model is presented describing the airflow through a vented box packed with horticultural produce. The model is based on the Darcy-Forchheimer-Brinkman theory of flow through confined porous media. Though questions are raised on the applicability of this theory for the description of high airflow in vented boxes, we show that the model can reproduce experimental data on pressure drop over vented boxes quite accurately. Moreover, we confirm the hypothesis of a power law relationship between the pressure drop and the vent hole ratio of the box. Given the good comparison with experimental data, one can conclude that the model describes the airflow inside the box reasonably well, and when coupled to convection-diffusion models describing heat and water vapour transport, it can be used to improve designs of vented packages of horticultural produce. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.