I RY 
 
 ST ATI slT BOARD 
 
 B. E. P. Q. 5k2, Revised 
 
 Effective September 12, 1950 
 
 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
 ' • AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION 
 
 • BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE 
 .J FOREIGN QUARANTINE NOTICES 
 
 ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS PRESCRIBING METHOD. OF TREATMENT 
 OF ORANGES, GRAPEFRUIT, AND MANILA MANGOES FROM MEXICO 
 
 Pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Chief of the Bureau of 
 Entomology' and Plant Quarantine' by f 319.56-2 of the regulations supple- 
 mental to the Fruit and Vegetable Quarantine (Notice of Quarantine No. 56, 
 7 CFR 319-56), the following administrative-instructions are hereby issued 
 to prescribe method of treatment which will meet the treatment require- 
 ments imposed under § 319-56-2 as a condition of the issuance of permits 
 for the importation from Mexico of commercially -sound oranges, grapefruit, 
 and Manila mangoes. 
 
 s 3l9-56-2g Administrative instructions prescribing method of 
 treatment of Oranges ; Grapefruit, and Manila Mangoes from Mexico . 
 Ja) Conditions for issuance of permits . Jl) Either of the approved vapor- 
 heat schedules of treatment specified in paragraph (b) of this section will 
 meet the treatment requirements imposed under § 319o6-2 as a condition of 
 the issuance of permits for the importation from Mexico of commercially- 
 sound oranges, free of leaves and other plant debris. 
 
 (2) The approved vapor- heat schedule of treatment specified in para- 
 graph (b) (l) of this section will meet the treatment requirements imposed 
 under § 319.56-2 as a condition of the issuance of permits for the importa- 
 tion from Mexico of commercially-sound grapefruit and Manila mangoes, frco 
 of leaves and other plant debris. 
 
 (3) The treatment must be conducted in a heat-treating room approved 
 by the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine and must be conducted under 
 the supervision of an inspector of that Bureau, who at all times shall have 
 access to suc-h fruits while they are undergoing treatment. 
 
 (k) The Bureau will approve only those rooms which are properly con- 
 structed and adequately equipped. to handle and treat such fruits, at 
 locations acceptable to the inspector in areas where required supervision 
 can be furnished. No treating plant will hereafter be approved until it is 
 equipped wi-th a self-recording temperature and humidity indicator acceptable 
 to the inspector. ■ >! .-: 
 
 (5) All handling in Mexico subsequent to treatment of such fruits 
 intended for shipment to- the United States must be carried out to meet re- 
 quirements satisfactory to the inspector and under such supervision as he 
 may deem necessary. 
 
 (6) All costs of construction, equipping, maintaining and operation 
 of treating rooms and those associated with prescribed post- treatment safe- 
 guards shall be borne by the owner of such fruits, or his representative. 
 
 (7) Supervision at places contiguous to ports of entry where inspec- 
 tors are regularly stationed will be furnished without cost to the owner of 
 the fruit, or his representative. 
 
- 2 - 
 
 (8) In cases where treating rooms may be located in the interior of 
 Mexico, or at places removed from ports of entry where inspectors are regu- 
 larly stationed, those in interest must make advance arrangements for 
 approval of the plant and for supervision, and furnish the Chief of the 
 Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine with acceptable assurance that 
 they will provide transportation and per diem for the supervising inspectors 
 without cost to the United States Department of Agriculture. 
 
 (8) In tho tests and experiments so far conducted with the approved 
 troating echedulee such fruits have not been injured. It is, however, 
 emphasized that inexactness and carelessness in using the approved schoduleo 
 for vapor-heat treatment may result in injury to tho fruit treated. In 
 authorizing the use of the treatment specified in paragraph (b) of this 
 section, tho United States Department of Agriculture does not accept re- 
 sponsibility for fruit injury. 
 
 (b) Vapor-heat method of treatment and approved schedules . In ap- 
 proved vapor-heat treatment the fruit is heated by saturated vapor at 110°F. 
 which in condensing on the fruit gives up its latent heat. This latent heat 
 is essential in assuring mortality of eggs and larvae of the fruitflies 
 known to occur in Mexico and in raising the temperature of the fruit evenly 
 and quickly so as to prevent damage to the fruit. In practice in such treat- 
 ments the saturated vapor is accompanied by a fine water mist and air ad- 
 mixture. The fruit is cooled immediately after treatment, and no wax or 
 paraffin, either dry or in solution, is used until after the treatment has 
 been completed. Vapor-heat treatment is approved only if the vapor con- 
 ditions 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 tho opinion of the 
 supervising inspector, to assure mortality of eggs and larvae of the fruit- 
 flies known to occur in Mexico. The following schedules 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: 
 
 (1) The temperaturo of the fruit shall bo raised to 110°F., at tho 
 approximate contor of the fruit, in a period of 8 hours and shall be held 
 at that level during the following 6 hours. This mothod is adapted to 
 sterilization plants that do not have the capacity to increase the tempora- 
 ture of the fruit steeply at tho beginning of tho troating period. 
 
 (2) Tho tomporaturc of tho fruit shall bo raised to 110° F., at tho 
 approximate center of the fruit, in a period of 6 hours and shall be hold 
 at that lovol during tho following k hours. Tho temperature of the fruit 
 must bo raised rapidly during the first 2 hours, after which it may bo 
 gradually raised to 110° F. in tho following k hours. 
 
 Theso admini strati vo instructions shall bo offootivo tho 12th day of 
 Soptomber, 1950, and at that time shall suporsodo B. E. P. Q. No. 5k2 t 
 effoctivo Soptombor k, I9U5 (7 CFR 3l9-56-2g). 
 
-'3 - 
 
 The foregoing administrative instructions merely restate a method of 
 treatment previously approved in administrative instructions now in effect 
 and further authorize a new alternative schedule for use of vapor-heat for 
 treatment of oranges which shortens the period of treatment and thereby 1 
 
 provides a less burdensome means than the one presently authorized by which 
 Moxican shippers of oranges may qualify their fruit for importation,, Ac-' ' 
 
 cordingly the foregoing administrative instructions relieve restrictions - 
 
 now in effect. Research has disclosed moreover that this new alternative 
 schedulo of treatment for oranges may be used without increasing the risk ( 
 
 of spread of injurious insects „ In order to be of maximum benefit to such 
 shippers, such new alternative method should be made available as soon as ' 
 
 possible. Therefore, pursuant to section k of the Administrative Procedure I 
 
 Act (5 U. S. C. 1003) it is found upon good cause that notice and publio 
 procedure on the foregoing administrative instructions are unnecessary, 
 impracticable, and contrary to the public interest, and since these in- 
 structions relieve restrictions they may properly bo made effective under 
 said section k less than thirty days after their publication in the 
 Federal Register. 
 
 (Sec. 5, 37 Stat. 316; 7 U. S. C. 159; 7 CFR 319«56-2) 
 Done at Washington, D. C, this 30th day of August, 1950. 
 
 ■ 
 
 Chief, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine 
 

 UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 
 
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