Aliens in Antarctica Project - Inspection of fresh food for alien propagules

As part of this international project, AAD staff examined fresh food and cargo for evidence of propagules prior to shipping south by the Australian Antarctic Program. This report summarises the findings of our food inspections.

A total of 2094 items of fresh fruit and/or vegetables were inspected over the season. Of these 89% (1865 items) were deemed 'clean' (ie no evidence of propagules or infections), 191 (9%0 had evidence of fungal infections, and 54 items (2%) had invertebrates, soil or other propagules such as seeds. Apples, cantaloupes, carrots, grapefruit, limes, oranges, potatoes and tomatoes were recorded as consistently having clean rates of 90% or greater over the 07/08 shipping season.