JZUS - Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE

Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE A 2004 Vol.5 No.10 P.1169-1174

http://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.2004.1169

Radio frequency heating: a new potential means of post-harvest pest control in nuts and dry products

Author(s): WANG Shao-jin, TANG Ju-ming
Affiliation(s): Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6120, USA
Corresponding email(s): shaojin_wang@wsu.edu
Key Words: Disinfestation, Heat, Nut, Postharvest, Radio frequency

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Abstract: There is an urgent need to develop effective and economically viable alternative treatments to replace current phytosanitary and quarantine practices in order to maintain the competitiveness of US agriculture in domestic and interna-tional markets. The multi-billion dollar US tree nut industries rely heavily on methyl bromide fumigation for postharvest insect control and are facing a major challenge with the mandated cessation by 2005 of its use for most applications. With the reliable heating block system, the thermal death kinetics for fifth-instar codling moth, Indianmeal moth, and navel orangeworm were determined at a heating rate of 18 °C/min. A practical process protocol was developed to control the most heat resistant insect pest, fifth-instar navel orangeworm, in in-shell walnuts using a 27 MHz pilot scale radio frequency (RF) system. RF heating to 55 °C and holding in hot air for at least 5 min resulted in 100% mortality of the fifth-instar navel orangeworm. Rancidity, sensory qualities and shell characteristics were not affected by the treatments. If this method can be economically integrated into the handling process, it should have excellent potential as a disinfestation method for in-shell walnuts.

Reference

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[9] Wang, S., Tang, J., Cavalieri, R.P., 2001b. Modeling fruit internal heating rates for hot air and hot water treatments. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 22:257-270.

[10] Wang, S., Ikediala, J.N., Tang, J., Hansen, J.D., 2002a. Thermal death kinetics and heating rate effects for fifth-instar Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricicae). Journal of Stored Products Research, 38:441-453.

[11] Wang, S., Tang, J., Johnson, J.A., Hansen, J.D., 2002b. Thermal death kinetics of fifth-instar Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae. Journal of Stored Products Research, 38:427-440.

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[13] Wang, S., Tang, J., Cavalieri, R.P., Davis, D., 2003a. Differential Heating of insects in dried nuts and fruits associated with radio frequency and microwave treatments. Transactions of the ASAE, 46:1175-1182.

[14] Wang, S., Tang, J., Johnson, J.A., Mitcham, E., Hansen, J.D., Hallman, G., Drake, S.R., Wang, Y., 2003b. Dielectric properties of fruits and insect pests as related to radio frequency and microwave treatments. Biosystems Engineering, 85:201-212.

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