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United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Plant Protection and Quarantine

Risk Management Document

Importation of Fresh Fruit of Cape Gooseberry, 

Physalis peruviana L., with Husks from Chile into 

the Continental United States

July 13, 2011

Ver. 2

Plant Health Programs (PHP)

Regulations, Permits and Manuals (RPM)

Contact Person: Claudia Ferguson
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Introduction

In Feb. 2003, the Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (SAG), the National Plant Protection 

Organization (NPPO) of the Republic of Chile requested to export cape gooseberry, 

Physalis peruviana L., as fresh fruit with husks into the continental United States. 

Because fresh field grown cape gooseberry fruit has not been imported from the 

Republic of Chile before, APHIS conducted a pathway-initiated pest risk assessment 

(PRA). A list of cape gooseberry pests from Republic of Chile was prepared based 

on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) records of intercepted pests, scientific literature and 

information provided by SAG. The final PRA, Importation of Fresh Fruit of Cape 

Gooseberry, Physalis peruviana L., with Husks, from Chile into the Continental 

United States, A Qualitative Pathway-Initiated Risk Assessment (USDA, 2011) 

identified no pests of quarantine concern following the pathway of fresh cape 

gooseberry fruit with husks from Republic of Chile to the United States. 

The proposed importation of fresh cape gooseberry fruit with husks from the

Republic of Chile, if approved, would be regulated under the existing fruits and 

vegetables regulations (7 CFR § 319.56). This document outlines the phytosanitary 

measures that APHIS will require if the proposed importation of fresh cape 

gooseberry with husks from the Republic of Chile is approved and documents the 

evidence used by APHIS to conclude that these measures will effectively prevent the 

introduction of the quarantine pest. 

Standard Industry Practices

Cape gooseberry fruits are handpicked when mature and the husks are yellowish with 

a rugose paper texture (Villarroel, 2006a). Fruits are harvested with husks and 

peduncle (SAG, 2005) and then dried at 15-18 oC with 60-70 % relative humidity

(Villarroel, 2006b). Fuits are considered dry when husks become beige and more 

rugose and brittle in texture (Villarroel, 2006b). Fruit is then packed in plastic 

containers after sorting and culling of defective or damaged fruits (Villarroel, 2006c;

SAG, 2005).

Pest Risk Mitigation Measures

APHIS proposes that fresh cape gooseberry fruit with husks from Republic of Chile may 

be imported into the continental United States only under the following conditions: 

(1). Cape gooseberry must be imported into the United States in commercial 

consignments only.

(2). Each consignment of cape gooseberry must be accompanied by a phytosanitary 

certificate issued by NPPO of Chile stating: “the cape gooseberry in the 

consignment has been inspected and is free of pests”.
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(3). Fruits will also be subject to inspection at the United States port of entry.

Summary

Fruit of cape gooseberry were estimated to be low risk for introduction of R. 

solanacearum R3 B2, since fruit of other susceptible solanaceous crops, such as peppers 

and tomatoes only rarely contain the pathogen (Sanchez-Perez et al., 2007). The United 

States currently allows imports of tomatoes and pepper fruits from Central American 

countries where R. solanacearum R3 B2 occurs, and the overall risk presented by the 

bacterium in the fruit pathway is considered to be low. 

The phytosanitary requirements described above for importation of cape gooseberry fruits 

with husks from Republic of Chile include fresh fruits with husks imported into the 

United States in commercial consignments only, inspected by SAG inspectors and found 

to be free of pests of concern, and inspection at the first United States port of entry.

APHIS finds that the mitigations measures described in this document will result in the 

effective removal of pests of concern from the pathway for the importation of field 

produced fresh cape gooseberry fruit with husks from Republic of Chile.

Authors

José R. Hernández Ph.D.

Senior Risk Manager – Plant Pathology

Walter Gould Ph.D. 

Senior Risk Manager - Enthomology

References

FAO. 2002. International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures: Guidelines for Pest 

Risk Analysis. Publication No. 2. Rome: Secretariat of the International Plant 

Protection Convention, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

SAG. 2005. Initiating event letter No. 2157 dated August 04, 2005. Servicio Agrícola y 

Ganadero de Chile (SAG).

Sanchez-Perez, A., L. Mejia, M. Fegan, and C. Allen. 2007. Diversity and distribution of 

Ralstonia solanacearum strains in Guatemala and rare occurrence of tomato fruit 

infection. Plant Pathology 57:320-331.
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USDA. 2010. Docket No. APHIS-2009-0082. Determination of Pest-Free Areas in the 

Republic of Chile; Request for Comments. Federal Register. http://www.the

federalregister.com/d.p/2010-02-01-2010-2009.

USDA. 2011. Importation of Fresh Fruit of Cape Gooseberry, Physalis peruviana L., 

with Husts, from Chile into the Continental United States, a Qulitative PathwayInitiated Risk Assessment, Rev. 7. United States Department of Agriculture, 

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection & Quarantine, Center 

for Plant Health Science & Technology, NC. Pp 1-27.

Villarroel, J. P. 2006a. Procedimiento de cosecha de Physalis peruviana: Protocolo 

realizadopara la Empresa PEV Fruit Chile Limitada. 6 p.

Villarroel, J. P. 2006b. Procedimiento de secado de Physalis peruviana: Protocolo 

realizado para la Empresa PEV Fruit Chile Limitada. 6 p.

Villarroel, J. P. 2006c. Procedimiento de embalado de Physalis peruviana: Protocolo 

realizado para la Empresa PEV Fruit Chile Limitada. 6 p.