What was it all about?

Export markets rely on strong biosecurity proof. This project built the science that underpins market access for Australian horticulture by showing—using internationally recognised methods—that postharvest treatments reliably control fruit fly quarantine pests and protect supply chains.

The research teams reared multiple fruit fly species in secure labs, infested commercial produce, and then ran controlled trials of cold, heat, methyl bromide and host-status approaches. They generated the evidence regulators expect—large numbers of insects across life stages, strict controls, and detailed temperature/time and quality checks—to demonstrate treatments work consistently.

Additionally, this project supported class-wide approval of irradiation with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), helping open up an additional, commercially practical treatment option for fresh fruit and vegetables—especially where fast turnaround or maintaining the cool chain matters.

Importantly, the work was designed with industry and the Australian government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) so treatments are not just scientifically sound, but workable in real packing, storage and export operations—helping keep markets open and giving growers more pathways to sell into high-value destinations.