Vacuum Container May Eliminate Insect Pests in Transit

The U.S. and many other countries have regulations preventing importation of horticultural commodities that have not been treated by an approved quarantine method insuring 100% mortality of specified insect pests. Intermodal hypobaric (LP= low pressure) containers may be able to provide this benefit directly and residue-free, replacing the prevailing methods of chemical fumigation and hot water treatment, which tend to be injurious to horticultural commodities, and in the case of insecticides, hazardous to workers and potentially dangerous to consumers. Significant differences in the gas exchange systems of insects and plants might be expected to cause insects to perish at the low 02 tension present at the optimal LP storage pressure for mangoes and many other horticultural commodities. This same 02 concentration causes low 02 injury to the host commodity in controlled atmosphere storage. The proposed research will ascertain how quickly Caribbean fruit fly eggs and larvae are killed at various LP temperatures and pressures and the effect these conditions have on mango storage life and quality after ripening.