ARS | Publication request: COMMERCIAL QUARANTINE HEAT TREATMENTS

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: November 16, 2006
Publication Date: August 1, 2007
Citation: Armstrong, J.W., Mangan, R.L. 2007. Commercial quarantine heat treatments. In: Tang, J., Mitcham, E., Wang, S., Lurie, S., editors. Heat Treatments for Postharvest Pest Control: Theory and Practice. Wallingford, UK:CAB International, p. 311-340.

Technical Abstract: World trade in fresh fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals is expanding rapidly to meet increasing demands on existing markets and to supply new markets resulting from international trade agreements. For most fresh commodities, postharvest quarantine (or phytosanitary) treatments are required to prevent the spread of exotic pests through marketing channels to areas where they do not occur. Without treatments to provide quarantine security, quarantine restrictions limit available markets for fresh commodities. Therefore, effective postharvest quarantine treatments that are not harmful to either the fruit or people coming in contact with or consuming the commodity are essential to the unrestricted trade of fresh fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals through domestic and international marketing channels. This book chapter provides an historical overview of the research and development of quarantine heat treatments, including the theories, strategies, and methods for applying heat to host commodities to kill target pest insects; acquisition of thermomortality data for target pest species and life stages; confirmatory testing of candidate heat treatments; difficulties encountered in both the development and application of quarantine heat treatments; laboratory and commercial heat treatment equipment; the effects of quarantine heat treatments on commodity quality; and a complete listing of all approved quarantine heat treatments used by exporting countries to move commodities through marketing channels.