A management system was created to optimize the management of ripening chambers. The management stem involves a data base with information about the batches, a model to estimate the state of the batches, an updating tool to correct the batches state in the database and an optimization tool allowing the calculation of the control variables values to attain the objective. The objective function defined was a mixture of degrees of ripeness at a pre-set date, and the decision variables were the control variables of the ripeness chamber: air temperature and relative humidity. The management system was linked to a control system that was developed including temperature/moisture cycles optimization and building-up and storing the history of the batches. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.