Date of this Version Non-uniform heating of fresh fruit caused
by variations in radio frequency (RF) fields is a major obstacle
in developing postharvest insect control treatments based on RF
energy. A fruit mover was developed to evaluate possibilities to
improve RF heating uniformity of large fruit, such as oranges
and apples, in a 12 kW batch type RF system. This fruit mover
provided a means to rotate and move fruit in water when
subjected to RF heating. Parameters for moving and rotating
fruit in the mover were selected based on consideration of
vortex formation, foaming, damage to the fruit, and volume
occupied by the fruit in water. RF heating uniformity of oranges
and apples in the mover was assessed using an infrared imaging
technique and direct temperature measurement with fiber-optic
sensors and thermocouples. The results showed that, with
rotation and movement of fruit, temperature uniformity in
oranges and apples was significantly improved with less than 2.8
and 3.1 ◦C standard deviations, respect