Potential of radio frequency heating of fresh fruits as an alternative quarantine method

by 1971- Birla, Sohan L.

By Sohan L. Birla, Ph.D. Washington State University December 2006 Chair: Juming Tang Methyl bromide fumigation, the most widely used contemporary quarantine method for fresh fruits, has raised public concerns because of its high ozone-depletion potential. To respond to the urgency of finding alternative methods, many researchers have explored radio frequency (RF) energy to disinfest fresh fruits. Although damage to fruit has been a major stumbling block for commercial applications, there is renewed interest in RF energy stems after successful demonstration of its ability to control fruit flies in dry nuts. The research upon which this dissertation was based has the broad objective of developing RF energy-based treatment protocols for apples and citrus fruits. A computer model that solves electro-magnetic field and Navier-Stokes equations using