Modeling thermal death kinetics and heat transfer can allow the prediction of temperature-time combinations for a thermal process, which will facilitate successful development of thermal treatments for pest control. The objectives of this study were: 1) to predict the number of surviving third-instar Anastrepha ludens after heating in a block system using a thermal death kinetic model, 2) to validate predictions of surviving larvae, determining survival of malformed puparia and, 3) to assess heat resistance by gender of eclosed adults. Exposure times for 44, 46, and 48 °C were calculated for 30, 50, 70, 90, and 99 % mortality. Predictions of surviving larvae were successfully validated; for all temperature-time combinations the difference was lower than... |