[en] The Oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis Hendel, is well recognized as a serious pest that causes damage to various kinds of fruits. It not only causes enormous losses in production, but also poses quarantine problems and severely restricts the trade and movement of fresh fruits between countries. Irradiation is one of the measures which is considered to be applicable to plant quarantine treatment for fruit fly control. Use of gamma irradiation for disinfestation of the Oriental fruit fly in mangoes has been carried out in Thailand. The results showed that a dose of 150 Gy achieved better than the probit-9 level of mortality, based on the criterion of efficacy of non-emergence of adult insects when five day old Dacus dorsalis larvae were treated. When 138,538 larvae were irradiated at the same dose, only one adult insect was recovered, generating a mortality of 99.9993%. However, when the criterion of efficacy based on the non-formation of pupae was used, a percentage mortality of only 25.9484 was obtained. (author). 16 refs, 1 tab

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[en] This fact sheet discusses market testing of irradiate food, consumer response to irradiated products has always been positive, and in some countries commercial quantities of some irradiated food items have been sold on a regular basis. Consumers have shown no reluctance to buy irradiated food products. 4 refs

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[en] As part of a programme of short-term tests used to detect possible genetic toxicity in irradiated foodstuffs, larvae of Drosophila melanogaster were raised on unirradiated or irradiated whole dates or on a medium containing digests of unirradiated or irradiated dates. Germ cells of surviving male flies were tested for the presence of sex-linked recessive lethals. The results showed no evidence of mutagenic activity induced in dates by irradiation. This provides further support of the lack of genetic toxicity of irradiated foods. (orig.)

[en] Data from an island-wide trapping survey and from test releases of 28 million medfly were used in the study. The flies were reared at 23 +-2⁰C and a 14-hr photoperiod, in organdy cylindrical cages containing 50,000-60,000 pupae/cage. The adult diet was a 3:1 enzymatic yeast hydrolysate: sugar mixture with water separate. The cages were kept for 15-17 days and produced ca. 6 x 10⁶ eggs/cage. Pupae were produced on trays loaded with 1.5 kg. of specified medium, and yielded 17,000-20,000 pupae after 9-10 days. They were subsequently irradiated 24-28 hrs before emergence with 9 krad of γ-rays, and labelled. Pupae were packaged, at 21 of pupae/plastic bag. Details of final packaging, transport and release methods and rates are given. The absence of a suitable host of 2-3 months would be sufficient to break the medfly cycle. Data on larval infestation in sour and jaffa oranges, apricots and figs were obtained, the most dramatic difference in infestation between two villages being ovserved in figs. Some empty (infertile) stings in stone fruits occurred

[en] Based in the obtained results by several authors and the experience accumulated by the group of Nuclear Techniques of the Agricultural Research Institute Jorge Dimitrov about the irradiation techniques; the methodology for tomato growth and productivity stimulation through the seeds irradiation was established. This methodology includes the preparation, irradiation and material selection to irradiate; as well as the sows of the material under field conditions. With her application the seedlings of good quality is guaranteed, what facilitates its transplant from the nursery to field conditions with 7 days in advance comparing to the control treatment, that contributes to the saving of material and human resources. Their fundamental contribution is given in the increment of the agricultural yield that reaches maximum values about 30% for some of the applied treatments. It is also recommended, the application of response- surface analysis among the plant yield (dependent variable) and the irradiation doses (independent variable) for determine the better stimulation doses in each one of the four varieties, as well as the time repeatability parameter of the growth and productivity were calculated, that which endorses the practical application of the proposed methodology

[en] This paper discusses the results of extensive measurements on the firmness of healthy and unmarked strawberries of export size after irradiation at a dose of 200 krad and after no irradiation treatment

[en] The effect of sodium benzoate (SB) and potassium metabisulphite (PMS) at various concentrations on chemical, microbiological and sensory quality of mango pulp during storage was assessed. Inhibitory activity of the chemical preservatives and their effect on chemical and sensory attributes was tested periodically by simulating the industrial mango pulp storage in the lab (30-42 deg. C in the dark), for a period of 90 days. Protein, fats, decreased while ash content and total soluble solid (TSS) increased during the storage period. A slight progressive decline in pH was observed with a proportional increase (p<0.05) in the acidity of the stored pulp samples. Significant inhibition of the total bacterial count (TBC) was observed on applying the specified concentrations, however PMS was shown to be more inhibitory. Storage time significantly (p<0.05) increased the CFU/g of the pulp samples as the maximum growth was observed after 90 days of storage. Sensory characteristics of the juice prepared from treated mango pulp samples were affected negatively on addition of preservatives however, the samples were accepted by the judges even after three months of storage. (author)