Evaluation of low risk compounds as methyl bromide alternatives to manage the ham mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank)

Southern dry cured hams often become infested with ham mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae) (Schrank) (Acarina: Acaridae) during the aging process. The most effective fumigant to eradicate the ham mite in processing and storage facilities of dry cured hams is methyl bromide. There is an urgent need to find new alternatives since methyl bromide contributes to ozone depletion and will be banned in the US by 2015. Little work has been done with respect to managing ham mite, which is common pest in southern dry cured ham. In this study the efficacy of different concentrations of sorbic acid salts, propionic acid salts, citrate salts, organic acids, short-chain di-ols, phenol derivatives and lard applied to ham cubes, on the population growth of T. putrescentiae was evaluated. Our results show mite population suppression increased by applying higher concentrations of these food additives to cubes of ham. Coating ham cubes in Propylene glycol, lard and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) decreased the population growth considerably at the highest doses and merit further study as potential ham mite control agents.