Location: Commodity Protection and Quality Research
Project Number: 2034-43000-043-25-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 15, 2020
End Date: Jul 14, 2021
Objective:
Develop novel postharvest treatments, methods for residue analysis, and techniques to eliminate the atmospheric input of sulfuryl fluoride, a key alternative to methyl bromide fumigation.
Approach:
Conduct research outlined in USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service grant #2020-08, Year 1, Phase 1: Comparatively evaluate existing technologies for quantifying fluoride and sulfuryl fluoride residues, including those approved by European Union and Codex; Phase 2 (Year 1): Conduct fumigation of prunes/dried plums, dried figs, and raisins at pilot-scale and quantify residues to understand what operational, regulatory, and analytical limitations; Phase 3 (Year 1): Evaluate the heterogeneously-catalyzed hydrolysis of sulfuryl fluoride as well as identify biomolecules likely to serve as nucleophiles in dried fruit. Finally, an economic cost analysis will be conducted. ARS will work with industry to transfer results to industry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
