B. E. ?. Q e 575 Effective February 1, 19^9 
 
 ATE PLANT J OARDunited states department oe agriculture 
 
 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION 
 
 BUREAU OE ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE 
 
 DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES 
 
 ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS PRESCRIBING METHODS OF TREATMENT OF 
 GRAPEFRUIT AND ORANGES UNDER MEXICAN FRUITFLY QUARANTINE 
 
 Pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Chief of the Bureau of 
 Entomology and Plant Quarantine by i 3Ql,6k-k (e) of the regulations supplemental 
 to Quarantine No. 6k relating to the Mexican fruitfly (7 CFR 19V? Supp. 301 .6k -k 
 (e)), the following administrative instructions are hereby issued to prescribe 
 methods of treatment which will meet sterilization requirements imposed under 
 said I 301. 6^ -i| (e) as a condition of the issuance of permits under said regula- 
 tions for the interstate movement of grapefruit and oranges. 
 
 § 301 6k-ka Administrativ e inst ructi ons: Methods of treatment of grapefruit 
 and oranges for t he" Mexican fruitfly . [aJ~Any of" the approved vapor -heat or low- 
 temperature methods of treatment specified in paragraph (b) of this section will 
 meet sterilization requirements imposed under I 301. 6k -k (e) as a condition of 
 the issuance of permits for the interstate movement of grapefruit and oranges, if 
 the treatment is conducted in a heat-treating room or refrigeration plant, as the 
 case may be, which is located in the regulated area and is approved by the Bureau 
 of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, and if it is conducted under the supervision 
 of an inspector of said Bureau who at all times has access to the fruit while it 
 is undergoing treatment. The Bureau will approve only those rooms and plants 
 which are adequately equipped to handle and treat the fruit as provided in this 
 section While the results of experiments so far conducted have been successful, 
 it should be emphasized that inexactness and carelessness in using the approved 
 methods of treatment may result in injury to the fruit treated. In approving 
 treatments specified in paragraph (b) of this section the United States Department 
 of Agriculture does not accept responsibility for fruit injury, 
 
 (b) Approved me thods of t reat ment . (l) Vapo r - heat methods . In approved 
 vapor-heat treatments the fruit is heated by saturated vapor at 110° F. which in 
 condensing on the fruit gives up it's latent heat. This latent heat is essential 
 in assuring mortality of eggs and larvae of the Mexican fruitfly and in raising 
 the temperature of the fruit evenly and quickly so as to prevent damage to the 
 fruit. In practice in such treatments the saturated vapor is accompanied by a 
 fine water mist and air admixture. The fruit is cooled immediately after treat- 
 ment, and no wax or paraffin, either dry or in solution, is used until after the 
 treatment ha3 been completed. Vapor -heat treatments are approved only if the 
 vapor conditions within the heat-treating room, the manner of stacking the field 
 boxes containing the fruit in the room, and all other conditions affecting the 
 efficacy of the treatment are satisfactory, in the opinion of the supervising in- 
 spector, to assure mortality of eggs and larvae of the Mexican fruitfly. The 
 following methods of vapor -heat treatment, when conducted in accordance with the 
 principles stated above in this paragraph and in paragraph (a) of this section, 
 are approved: 
 
 (i) The temperature of the fruit shall be raised to 110° F, , at the approxi- 
 mate center of the fruit, in a period of 8 hours and shall be held at that level 
 during the following 6 hours. This method is adapted to sterilization plants that 
 
ERSITY OF FLORIDA 
 
 - 2 
 
 3 1262 09313 7122 
 
 do not have the capacity to increase the temperature of the fruit steeply at the 
 beginning of the treating period, 
 
 (ii) The temperature of the fruit shall "be raised to 110° F„ , at the approxi- 
 mate center of the fruit, in a period of 6 hours and shall he held at that level 
 during the following k hours « The temperature of the fruit must he raised rapidly 
 during the first 2 hours, after which it may he gradually raised to 110° F in the 
 following k hours. 
 
 (2) Low-temperature methods . The- foil owing methods of low-temperature treat- 
 ment, when conducted in accordance with the principles stated in paragraph (a) of 
 this section, are approved: 
 
 (i) The fruit shall be cooled until the temperature at the approximate center 
 of the fruit reaches 33° F. and shall be held at or below that temperature for a 
 period of 18 days. 
 
 (ii) The fruit shall be cooled until the temperature at the approximate 
 center of the fruit reaches 34° F e and shall be held at or below that temperature 
 for a period of 20 days. 
 
 (iii) The fruit shall be cooled until the temperature at the approximate 
 center of the fruit reaches 35° F, and shall be held at or below that temperature 
 for a period of 22 days. 
 
 Effec tive date and notice o f super sedure e The foregoing administrative in- 
 structions shall be effective February 1, 19^9, and at that time shall supersede 
 B. E. P. Q r No. ^72 revised effective September 25, 19^1 (7 CFR Cum. Supp. 
 301.61+ J+a). ' 
 
 The foregoing administrative instructions merely restate methods of treatment 
 previously approved in administrative instructions now in effect and further 
 authorize a new alternative method for use of vapor -heat which shortens the period 
 of treatment and thereby provides a less burdensome means than any presently 
 authorized by which shippers of grapefruit and oranges may qualify their fruit for 
 interstate movement. Accordingly the foregoing administrative instructions re- 
 lieve restrictions now in effect. Research has disclosed moreover that such new 
 alternative method of treatment may be used without increasing the risk of spread 
 of injurious insects. In order to be of maximum benefit to shippers of grapefruit 
 and oranges, such new alternative method should be made available as soon as pos- 
 .e. Therefore, pursuant to section k of the Administrative Procedure Act 
 > U. S„ C. 1003) it is found upon good cause that notice and public procedure on 
 the foregoing administrative instructions are unnecessary, impracticable, and con- 
 trary to the public interest, and since these instructions relieve restrictions 
 
 nay properly be made effective under said section h less than thirty days 
 after their publication in the Federal Register, 
 
 (Sec. 8, 37 Stat. 318, as amended, 7 U. S. C. l6l; 7 CFR 19^5 Supp. 201,6k-k (e)) 
 Done at Washington, D. C., this 28th day of January 191+9. 
 
 bureau of Entomolog y and 
 Plant Quarantine ; -