Annex

This Appendices describes requirements for both in-transit and pre-shipment cold treatment.

Cold treatment must be applied in accordance with the Australian phytosanitary treatment application standard for cold treatment, (Commonwealth of Australia, 2018). Key requirements of this standard are described below.

In-transit cold treated fresh produce:

Container loading:

Fruit subject to in-transit cold disinfestation treatment must be pre-cooled to the required treatment temperature prior to loading into shipping containers. In-transit cold treatment is only permitted in self refrigerated (integral) shipping containers capable of the treatment for the entire duration of the trip. The exporting National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) is responsible for ensuring that containers used by exporters are of a suitable type, and have refrigerator equipment capable of achieving and holding the required temperatures.

Packed fruit must be loaded into shipping containers under the supervision of the exporting NPPO. Containers should be packed in a manner which ensures that there is equal airflow under and around all pallets and loose stacked boxes.

Calibration of probes:

A “record of calibration of fruit probes” must be prepared for each container and signed and stamped by an officer of the exporting NPPO or person authorised by the exporting NPPO. The original must be attached to the phytosanitary certificate which accompanies the consignment. Calibration of temperature recorder and probes prior to in-transit cold disinfestation beginning must be undertaken under the supervision of the NPPO.

The fruit pulp sensors must be calibrated and placed under the supervision of an officer authorised by the NPPO of the exporting country. The calibration and placement of the fruit pulp sensors must be consistent with the Australian phytosanitary treatment application standard for cold treatment (2018)

Note: Any probe which records more than plus or minus 0.3°C from 0°C must be replaced by one that meets this criterion. The Australian NPPO may check the calibration of the fruit probes, on arrival of the container in Australian territory. If any probe shows a higher calibration reading at the completion of the treatment than at the initial calibration setting, the recordings from the probes will be adjusted accordingly. If the calibration reading is lower than the initial data then there is a chance that the temperature data adjusted accordingly may reveal that the nominated treatment schedule was not met. In this instance the treatment will be deemed to have failed.

Placement of probes:

Placement of temperature sensors must be under the direction and supervision of exporting NPPO or person authorised by the NPPO. Three sensors must be placed as follows for in transit cold treatment:

• the top of the stack nearest to the air return intake,
  

• slight aft (towards the doors) of the middle of the container, halfway between the top and bottom of the stack,
  

• one pallet stack in from the doors of the container, halfway between the top and bottom of the stack.
  

Container sealing:

Shipping containers must be sealed once loading of the fruit is completed. In-transit treatment containers must not be opened (i.e. they must remain seals intact) until the treatment has been completed and confirmed by the Australian NPPO on arrival in Australian territory.

A numbered seal must be placed on the loaded container door by an authorised officer of the exporting NPPO and the seal number noted on the phytosanitary certificate. The seal must only be removed in the presence of a biosecurity officer at the port of arrival in Australian territory.

Temperature recording and downloading:

Pulp temperature is to be recorded on an hourly basis to one decimal place throughout the treatment by using three fruit pulp sensor probes that have been appropriately positioned across the treatment lot to account for temperature variations as described above. Additional probes that measure fruit pulp temperature can be used to monitor cold treatment. Any data from the additional probes must also comply with the treatment requirements.

The shipping/transport company must download the electronic temperature logs from the container and forward to the department (treatments@awe.gov.au) for treatment assessment and approval prior to container clearance.

Note: Some sea voyages may allow the cold disinfestation treatment to be completed by the time the vessel arrives at a port en-route to Australian territory. It is permissible for treatment records to be downloaded en-route and sent to the Australian NPPO, for verification. It is therefore a commercial decision whether the fruit should be “conditioned” (i.e. gradually raising the carriage temperature) prior to arrival in Australian territory.

Treatment verification:

The Department will verify that the cold disinfestation treatment (for in-transit treatments) has been completed successfully prior to arranging for an inspection and clearance of the container.

Containers must be maintained at the required appropriate temperature until the treatment assessment is completed, as turning off power prematurely may lead to discontinuation of treatment.

Any shipment unable to be verified by the department as having completed cold disinfestation due to missing or incomplete treatment data will be deemed to have failed.

Any shipments that haven’t completed in-transit cold treatment (due to insufficient duration or temperatures) will be given the option of continuation of cold treatment, recommencement (seals intact only) and completion within a 23 day period, or export or disposal. Failed shipments that cannot recommence and complete cold treatment seals intact without opening the container are subject to export or disposal.

Pre-shipment cold treated fresh produce:

NPPO requirements:

The exporting NPPO will ensure that pre-shipment cold treatment is conducted in line with the Australian phytosanitary treatment application standard for cold treatment (Commonwealth of Australia, 2018).

The exporting NPPO will ensure that treatment details such as date, temperature, duration, and packinghouse/facility number of the cold disinfestation be included in the ‘treatment section’ on the phytosanitary certificate.

Cool rooms:

Cool rooms must be permanent structures with appropriate temperature monitoring and phytosanitary security in place. Cool rooms must be able to:

• accommodate the required number of probes.
  

• record and store data for the period of the treatment and then until the information can be examined by an officer at the exporting NPPO or person authorised by the exporting NPPO.
  

• record all temperature sensors at least hourly. Printouts must identify each probe, time and the temperature.
  

Calibration of temperature probes:

Calibration must be consistent with the Australian phytosanitary treatment application standard for cold treatment (2018) using a slurry of crushed ice and distilled water.

A certified thermometer approved by the exporting NPPO must be used to confirm temperature of the ice slurry is maintained at 0°C during the calibration.

Any probe which records more than ±0.3°C from 0°C must be replaced by one that meets this criterion.

When the treatment has been completed, the exporting NPPO or person authorised by the exporting NPPO will re-calibrate the fruit probes.

Number and placement of temperature probes:

Placement of probes and connection to a logger will be undertaken under the supervision of the exporting NPPO or person authorised by the exporting NPPO.

Palletised fruit must be loaded into cold rooms under the supervision of the exporting NPPO or person authorised by the exporting NPPO.

As a minimum, two probes (at the inlet and the outlet points of air circulation) to measure room temperature and minimum of four probes for measuring fruit flesh temperature must be used for each consignment.

The four probes measuring the actual fruit flesh temperature must be located as follows:

• The centre of the stack in the warmest part of the treatment chamber,
  

• The corner of the top stack in the warmest part of the treatment chamber,
  

• Further sensors will be placed in different areas in the treatment chamber where temperature or airflow may be impacted and placed from midway to the top height of the stack.
  
  

Progressive review of treatments:

Treatment time will be deemed to have commenced only after all probes have attained the nominated treatment temperature.

Where only the minimum number of probes (4) have been used, and in the event that any probe fails to record a temperature for a period of more than four consecutive hours, the treatment will be declared void and must be started again.

If the record of treatment indicates that the treatment parameters have been met then the NPPO may authorise cessation of the treatment and if the probes pass re-calibration, then the treatment will be considered to have been successfully completed.

All fruit probes must be re-calibrated and treatment confirmed before the fruit is moved from the treatment room.

Confirmation of treatment:

Calibration records must be kept for the Australian NPPO.

If any probe shows a higher calibration reading at the completion of the treatment than at the initial calibration setting, the recordings from the probes will be adjusted accordingly. If the calibration reading is lower than the previous data then there is a chance that the temperature data adjusted accordingly may reveal that the nominated treatment schedule was not met. In this instance the treatment will be deemed to have failed.

The option of re-treating this fruit is at the discretion of the exporting NPPO and the exporter in the country of origin.

Temperature records must include suitable data summaries that indicate that the required cold treatment of the product has been achieved.

The exporting NPPO must endorse these records and summaries before confirming that the treatment has been successful. These are to be made available for the Australian NPPO at audit when required.