Vapor-Heat Treatment of Carambolas Infested With Caribbean Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

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Abstract
Subjecting carambolas, Averrhoa carambola L., infested with Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspense (Loew), larvae to vapor heat (saturated hot air) at 46-46.3°C (air speed of 1.0-1.1 m/s) for 90 min followed by cooling in relatively still air at ≈23 ± 0.5°C provided probit 9 security (99.9968% mortality) with 95% confidence. When mfested carambolas were exposed to vapor heat at 46-46.3°C for 90 min and then immediately immersed in 13 ± 0.2°C water for 1 h, 3 of an estimated larval population of 45,856 survived, indicating that rapid cooling of the fruit reduced larval mortality. Vapor-heat treatment of carambolas at 49-49.3°C for 45 or 60 min damaged the fruits. Shelf life and color quality of carambolas treated with vapor heat at 46-46.3°C for 90 or 120 min or 46-46.3°C for 60 or 90 min were not significantly reduced compared with controls.