Low-dose irradiation as a treatment for grapefruit and mangoes infested with Caribbean fruit fly larvae.
Burditt A. K. Jr., Moshonas M. G., Hatton T. T., Spalding D. H., Windeguth D. L. von, Shaw P. E.
Author Affiliation: USDA, Miami, Fla. 33158, USA.
: 9 pp.
Abstract : Research is reported on the use of gamma rays and X-rays on Marsh grapefruit and Tommy Atkins and Keitt mangoes infested by larvae of Anastrepha suspensa. Treatment of fruit with gamma rays at 10 to 20 krads prevented adult flies developing from infested fruit. Grapefruit treated at 25 to 60 krads from either source had increased skin pitting, scald and decay. For some treatments the taste of pasteurized juice from irradiated fruit (both sources) differed significantly from that of controls, and the taste of fresh juice and sections and the aroma of peel oils from grapefruit treated with X-rays differed significantly from that of the controls. There was a slight reduction in vitamin C content in all irradiated grapefruit. Beta-pinene was absent from grapefruit irradiated with gamma rays at 50 krads. Irradiated mangoes had surface-blemish injury that was related to gamma dosage.