petaltothemetal
07-25-2008, 03:05 PM
It's already difficult to find some exotic fruits grown organically, but I just found out that some fruits must be irradiated in accordance with a new law. :eek: From the USDA's website:
"APHIS approved the importation of precleared, commercial shipments of litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, pineapple and rambutan from Thailand effective July 23, 2007, provided certain conditions are met.
To ensure that plant pests of quarantine significance do not enter the United States through the importation of these fruits, they must be treated with specified doses of irradiation (minimum 400 gray) prior to export at an APHIS-certified facility. Each shipment must also be accompanied by a phytosanitay certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of Thailand with an additional declaration certifying that the treatment and inspection of the fruit were made in accordance with APHIS regulations. Additionally, cartons of litchi and longan must be stamped “Not for importation or distribution in Fl.” Inspectors with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection may further inspect precleared commodities at the port of first arrival."
"APHIS approved the importation of precleared, commercial shipments of litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, pineapple and rambutan from Thailand effective July 23, 2007, provided certain conditions are met.
To ensure that plant pests of quarantine significance do not enter the United States through the importation of these fruits, they must be treated with specified doses of irradiation (minimum 400 gray) prior to export at an APHIS-certified facility. Each shipment must also be accompanied by a phytosanitay certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of Thailand with an additional declaration certifying that the treatment and inspection of the fruit were made in accordance with APHIS regulations. Additionally, cartons of litchi and longan must be stamped “Not for importation or distribution in Fl.” Inspectors with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection may further inspect precleared commodities at the port of first arrival."