1

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 

OFFICE OF CHEMICAL SAFETY AND POLLUTION 

PREVENTION

MEMORANDUM

DATE: March 12, 2013, updated 12/27/13

SUBJECT: ChemSAC Review of the Analysis of the USDA IR-4 Crop Grouping Proposal to 

Establish a New Crop Group 24 Tropical and Subtropical Fruit – Inedible Peel, 

and Amend the Commodity Definitions [40 CFR 180.1 (g)] Related to the 

Proposed Crop Group. 

FROM: Bernard A. Schneider, Ph.D., Senior Plant Physiologist

Chemistry and Exposure Branch 

Health Effects Division (7509P) 

TO: Stephen Funk, Chairperson HED Chemistry Science Advisory Council 

(ChemSAC) and Members

Jennifer Selwyn, and Monica Le, and Susan Wong, Health Canada, PMRA

Alma Liliana Tovar Díaz, Deputy Director of Certification and Recognition 

Senasica-Sagarpa, Mexico

Barbara Madden, Minor Use Officer, RD (7505P)

cc: IR-4 Project, Bill Barney, Jerry Baron, Dan Kunkel, Debbie Carpenter, Van Starner 

ACTION REQUESTED:

William P. Barney, Crop Grouping Project Coordinator, and Kathryn Homa, Assistant 

Coordinator, USDA Interregional Research Project No. 4 (IR-4), State Agricultural Experiment 

Station, Rutgers University have submitted a petition (November 15, 2010) on behalf of the IR-4 

Project, and the Tropical Fruits Workgroup of the International Crop Grouping Consulting 

Committee (ICGCC) to establish a new Crop Group (40 CFR § 180.41) Crop Group 24, Tropical 

and Subtropical Fruit – Inedible Peel Group, and propose addition of Commodity Definitions 40 

CFR 180.1 (g). 
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The above-mentioned Tropical and Subtropical fruit crop group petition requested the 

following five proposals:

1. Establish a new crop group in 40 CFR 180.41 (c) as “Tropical and Subtropical Fruit, Inedible 

Peel”.

2. Add the following 104 commodities in this new crop group:

1. Abiu, Pouteria caimito (Ruiz & Pav.) Radlk, (Sapotaceae)

2. Aisen, Boscia senegalensis (Pers.) Lam., (Capparaceae (also placed in Brassicaceae))

3. Akee apple, Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig, (Sapindaceae)

4. Atemoya, Annona cherimola Mill. X A. squamosa L., (Annonaceae)

5. Avocado, Persea americana Mill., (Lauraceae)

6. Avocado, Guatemalan, Persea americana Mill. var. guatemalensis, (Lauraceae)

7. Avocado, Mexican, Persea americana Mill. var. drymifolia (Schltdl. & Cham.) S. F. Blake, (Lauraceae)

8. Avocado, West Indian, Persea americana var. americana, (Lauraceae)

9. Bacury, Platonia insignis Mart., (Clusiaceae (alt. Guttiferae))

10.Bael fruit, Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa, (Rutaceae)

11.Banana, Musa spp. and hybrids, (Musaceae)

12.Banana, dwarf, Musa hybrids; Musa acuminata Colla, (Musaceae)

13.Binjai, Mangifera caesia Jack, (Anacardiaceae)

14.Biriba, Annona mucosa Jacq., (Annonaceae)

15.Breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg, (Moraceae)

16.Burmese grape, Baccaurea ramiflora Lour., (Phyllanthaceae (also placed in Euphorbiaceae))

17.Canistel, Pouteria campechiana (Kunth) Baehni, (Sapotaceae)

18.Cat's-eyes, Dimocarpus longan Lour. subsp. malesianus Leenh., (Sapindaceae)

19.Champedak, Artocarpus integer (Thunb.) Merr., (Moraceae)

20.Cherimoya, Annona cherimola Mill., (Annonaceae)

21.Cupuacú, Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. Ex Spreng.) K. Schum., (Malvaceae (also placed in 

Sterculiaceae))

22.Custard apple, Annona reticulata L., (Annonaceae)

23.Dragon fruit, Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britton & Rose, (Cactaceae)

24.Durian, Durio zibethinus L., (Malvaceae (also placed in Bombacaceae, Durionaceae))

25.Elephant-apple, Limonia acidissima L., (Rutaceae)

26.Etambe, Mangifera zeylanica (Blume) Hook. F., (Anacardiaceae)

27.Granadilla, Passiflora ligularis Juss., (Passifloraceae)

28.Granadilla, Giant, Passiflora quadrangularis L., (Passifloraceae)

29.Ilama, Annona macroprophyllata Donn. Sm., (Annonaceae)

30.Ingá, Inga vera Willd. subsp. affinis (DC.) T. D. Penn., (Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae) (also placed in 

Mimosaceae))

31.Jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., (Moraceae)

32.Jatobá, Hymenaea courbaril L., (Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae) (also placed in Caesalpiniaceae))

33.Karuka, Pandanus julianettii Martelli, (Pandanaceae)

34.Kei apple, Dovyalis caffra (Hook. F. & Harv.) Warb., (Salicaceae (also placed in Flacourtiaceae))

35.Langsat, Lansium domesticum Corrêa, (Meliaceae)

36.Lanjut, Mangifera lagenifera Griff., (Anacardiaceae)

37.Longan, Dimocarpus longan Lour., (Sapindaceae)

38.Lucuma, Pouteria lucuma (Ruiz & Pav.) Kuntze, (Sapotaceae)

39.Lychee, Litchi chinensis Sonn., (Sapindaceae)
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40.Mabolo, Diospyros blancoi A. DC., (Ebenaceae)

41.Madras-thorn, Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth., (Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae); (also placed in 

Mimosaceae))

42.Mammy-apple, Mammea americana L. Clusiaceae (alt. Guttiferae))

43.Manduro, Balanites maughamii Sprague, (Zygophyllaceae (also placed in Balanitaceae))

44.Mango, Mangifera indica L., (Anacardiaceae)

45.Mango, horse, Mangifera foetida Lour., (Anacardiaceae)

46.Mango, Saipan, Mangifera odorata Griff., (Anacardiaceae)

47.Mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana L., (Clusiaceae (alt. Guttiferae))

48.Marang, Artocarpus odoratissimus Blanco, (Moraceae)

49.Marmaladebox, Genipa americana L., (Rubiaceae)

50.Matisia, Matisia cordata Humb. & Bonpl., (Malvaceae (also placed in Bombacaceae))

51.Mesquite, Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC., (Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae); (also placed in Mimosaceae))

52.Mongongo, Schinziophyton rautanenii (Schinz) Radcl.-Sm, (Euphorbiaceae)

53.Monkey-bread-tree, Adansonia digitata L., (Malvaceae (also placed in Bombacaceae))

54.Monstera, Monstera deliciosa Liebm., (Araceae)

55.Nicobar-breadfruit, Pandanus leram Jones ex Fontana, (Pandanaceae)

56.Paho, Mangifera altissima Blanco, (Anacardiaceae)

57.Pandanus, Pandanus utilis Bory, (Pandanaceae)

58.Papaya, Carica papaya L., (Caricaceae)

59.Passionflower, Winged-stem, Passiflora alata Curtis, (Passifloraceae)

60.Passionfruit, Passiflora edulis Sims, (Passifloraceae)

61.Passionfruit, Banana, Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima (Kunth) Holm-Niels. & P. Jorg., 

(Passifloraceae)

62.Passionfruit, Purple, Passiflora edulis Sims forma edulis, (Passifloraceae)

63.Passionfruit, Yellow, Passiflora edulis Sims forma flavicarpa O. Deg., (Passifloraceae)

64.Pawpaw, Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal, (Annonaceae)

65.Pawpaw, Small-flower, Asimina parviflora (Michx.) Dunal, (Annonaceae)

66.Pelipisan, Mangifera casturi Kosterm., (Anacardiaceae)

67.Pequi, Caryocar brasiliense Cambess, (Caryocaraceae)

68.Pequia, Caryocar villosum (Aubl.) Pers., (Caryocaraceae)

69.Persimmon, American, Diospyros virginiana L., (Ebenaceae)

70.Pineapple, Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., (Bromeliaceae)

71.Pitahaya, Hylocereus polyrhizus (F. A. C. Weber) Britton & Rose, (Cactaceae)

72.Pitaya, Hylocereus spp. Including H. megalanthus, H. ocamponis and H. polychizus, (Cactaceae)

73.Pitaya Amarilla, Hylocereus triangularis (L.) Britton & Rose, (Cactaceae)

74.Pitaya Roja, Hylocereus ocamponis (Salm-Dyck) Britton & Rose, (Cactaceae)

75.Pitaya, Yellow, Hylocereus megalanthus (K. Schum. ex Vaupel) Ralf Bauer, (Cactaceae)

76.Plantain, Musa paradisiaca L. (Musaceae)

77.Pomegranate, Punica granatum L. (Lythraceae (also placed in Punicaceae))

78.Poshte, Annona liebmanniana Baill. (Annonaceae)

79.Prickly pear, fruit, Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae)

80.Prickly pear, Texas, fruit, Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelm. var. lindheimeri (Engelm.) B. D. 

Parfitt & Pinkava, (Cactaceae)

81.Pulasan, Nephelium ramboutan-ake (Labill.) Leenh., (Sapindaceae)

82.Quandong, Santalum acuminatum (R. Br.) DC., (Santalaceae)

83.Rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum L., (Sapindaceae)

84.Saguaro, Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.) Britton & Rose, (Cactaceae)

85.Sapodilla, Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen, (Sapotaceae)
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86.Sapote, black, Diospyros digyna Jacq., (Ebenaceae)

87.Sapote, green, Pouteria viridis (Pittier) Cronquist, (Sapotaceae)

88.Sapote, mamey, Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore & Stearn, (Sapotaceae)

89.Sapote, white, Casimiroa edulis La Llave & Lex, (Rutaceae)

90.Sataw, Parkia speciosa Hassk., (Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae); also placed in Mimosaceae)

91.Satinleaf, Chrysophyllum oliviforme L., (Sapotaceae)

92.Screw-pine, Pandanus tectorius Parkinson, (Pandanaceae)

93.Sierra Leone-tamarind, Dialium guineense Willd., (Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae); (also placed in 

Caesalpiniaceae))

94. Soncoya, Annona purpurea Moc. & Sessé ex Dunal, (Annonaceae)

95. Soursop, Annona muricata L., (Annonaceae)

96. Spanish lime, Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq., (Sapindaceae)

97. Star apple, Chrysophyllum cainito L., (Sapotaceae)

98. Sugar apple, Annona squamosa L., (Annonaceae)

99. Sun Sapote, Licania platypus (Hemsl.) Fritsch, (Chrysobalanaceae)

100. Tamarind-of-the-Indies, Vangueria madagascariensis J. F. Gmel., (Rubiaceae)

101. Velvet Tamarind, Dialium indum L., (Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae); (also placed in Caesalpiniaceae))

102. Wampi, Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels, (Rutaceae)

103. White star apple, Chrysophyllum albidum G. Don, (Sapotaceae)

104. Wild loquat, Uapaca kirkiana Müll. Arg., (Phyllanthaceae; (also placed in Euphorbiaceae, 

Uapacaceae))

And cultivars, varieties and/or hybrids of these.”

3. Recommend the following eight commodities: Atemoya, avocado, dragon fruit, lychee, 

passionfruit, pineapple, pomegranate, and prickly pear to be representative commodities for the 

new crop group.

4. Propose the following five tropical and subtropical inedible peel crop subgroups.

Subgroup 24A. Tropical and Subtropical, Small Fruit, Inedible Peel Subgroup

Proposed Representative Crop: Lychee

Subgroup 24B. Tropical and Subtropical, Medium to Large Fruit, Smooth, Inedible 

Peel Subgroup

Proposed Representative Crops: Avocado and Pomegranate

Subgroup 24C. Tropical and Subtropical, Medium to Large Fruit, Rough or Hairy, 

Inedible Peel Subgroup

Proposed Representative Crop: Atemoya and Pineapple

Subgroup 24D. Tropical and Subtropical, Inedible Peel, Cactus Subgroup

Proposed Representative Crop: Dragon fruit and Prickly pear, fruit

Subgroup 24E. Tropical and Subtropical, Inedible Peel, Vine Subgroup

Proposed Representative Crop: Passionfruit
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5. Add Commodity Definitions [40 CFR 180.1 (g)] for Avocado, banana, and passionfruit.

A B

Avocado (Persea 

americana Mill.)

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.); Avocado, Guatemalan (Persea americana

Mill. var. guatemalensis); Avocado, Mexican (Persea americana Mill. var. 

drymifolia (Schltdl. & Cham.) S. F. Blake); Avocado, West Indian (Persea 

americana var. americana)

Banana (Musa spp.) Banana (Musa spp.); Banana, Dwarf (Musa hybrids; Musa acuminata Colla); 

Plantain (Musa x paradisiaca L. )

Passionfruit (Passiflora 

edulis Sims)

Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis Sims); Passionfruit, Purple (Passiflora edulis

Sims forma edulis); Passionfruit, Yellow (Passiflora edulis Sims forma 

flavicarpa O. Deg.)

BACKGROUND:

The Tropical and subtropical fruit, inedible peel proposal was initiated at the USDA/IR-4 

Crop Grouping Symposium in Washington, DC, October 2002. This workgroup was Chaired by

Michael Braverman (IR-4) and Co-Chaired by Jonathan Crane (University of Florida), Edith 

Lurvey (IR-4), Nancy Dodd (EPA), Will Donovan (EPA), and Maria Rodriguez (EPA). 

This new crop group was further discussed and developed within the Tropical Fruit, 

Inedible Peel Workgroup of the International Crop Grouping Consulting Committee (ICGCC), 

which consisted of 62 U.S. crop or regulatory experts from agriculture commodity groups, 

universities, agrichemical industry, IR-4 Project, USDA, and EPA, and also 33 international crop 

or regulatory experts representing over 30 countries. 

An important aspect of developing this new crop group is the harmonization with the 

Codex Crop Classification of Foods and Animal Feeds. The Codex classification system is 

currently under revision with many proposed tropical fruit additions. The USDA IR-4/EPA Crop 

Grouping Working Group and the ICGCC are making every effort to collaborate with the 

revision of the Codex crop classification. In the current Codex Crop Classification of Foods and 

Animal Feeds, assorted tropical and sub-tropical fruits – inedible peel are included in Group 006 

which is classified in Type 01 Fruits. The IR-4/ICGCC submission was forwarded to the Codex 

Electronic Working Group for the revision of the Codex Classification of Foods and Animal 

Feeds. This submission includes many of the recently proposed additions of tropical fruits, 

inedible peel to the Codex classification. 

Four proposed tropical fruits with an inedible peel from the palm family ((Arecaceae (alt. 

Palmae)) were rejected from consideration to the inedible peel crop group either because none of 

the commodities met the criteria for a representative commodity and/or there was no production 

in the US. These rejected tropical fruits include: (1) Guriri (Allagoptera arenaria (Gomes) 

Kuntze); (2) Muriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.); (3) Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L.); and (4) 

Salak (Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss). Other proposed tropical fruits with an inedible peel 

(ceibillo, Florida gooseberry, marolo, pindaiba, tucum palm and umari) were also rejected from 

consideration from the crop group because there was not enough information available to 

properly classify them into crop groups and subgroups or they are rarely cultivated.
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Many publications have documented the relationship between surface area and mass of a 

commodity (D.J. Maclachlan and D. Hamilton, 2010; B.D. Ripley, G.M. Ritcey, R. Harris, M.A. 

Denomme, L. Lissemore, 2003; F. Matsumura, G.M. Boush, T. Misato, eds., 1972; and B. 

Schneider, 2002). In general, the smaller the fruit, the larger the ratio of surface area to weight 

becomes. For example, pesticide deposits on grapes can be expected to be about 3X the 

pesticide deposit on apples due to the higher surface area per unit weight (Bates, 1990). Nonbell 

peppers are also often cited as an example. Because of their size, they normally have a higher 

residue than bell peppers with the same good agricultural practices (GAP) and are likely to drive 

a tolerance or MRL for peppers. There is also indication that surface area/mass ratio plays a 

more important role on pesticide deposits than pubescence/serration present on surfaces 

(Sundaram, 1991). 

To classify Tropical and Subtropical fruits into groups (edible versus inedible peel) and 

subgroups, Excel spreadsheets were developed by IR-4 to be able to sort commodities with 

common characteristics. These spreadsheets include information regarding the common name, 

scientific name, taxonomic family name, production in the US, fruit shape, maximum radius 

(cm) and maximum height (cm) from the literature, calculated volume, calculated surface area, 

surface area to mass (volume) ratio, texture description and peel texture. These spreadsheets 

allowed the sorting of commodities into small versus medium to large fruit and smooth peel 

versus a rough or hairy peel. Fruits described in the literature as small fruit generally had a 

surface area/mass (volume) ratio of >1.5:1; so this criteria was used to separate small versus 

medium to large fruit (surface area/mass (volume) ratio of ≤1.5:1).

Sorting the spreadsheets into size (small versus medium to large fruit) based on the 

surface area to mass (volume) ratio as well as peel texture (rough or hairy, or smooth) with the 

addition of inedible peel vine crops resulted in the proposed crop grouping scheme.

Based on the background and the input from the International Crop Grouping Consulting 

Committee (ICGCC), USDA IR-4 propose that the tropical and subtropical Fruits, Inedible Peel 

crop group be established as a new crop group, and five subgroups are proposed: (1) Subgroup 

24A - Tropical and Subtropical, Small Fruit, Inedible Peel Subgroup; (2) Subgroup 24B -

Tropical and Subtropical, Medium to Large Fruits, Smooth, Inedible Peel Subgroup; (3) 

Subgroup 24C - Tropical and Subtropical, Medium to Large Fruit, Rough or Hairy, Inedible Peel 

Subgroup; (4) Subgroup 24D - Tropical and Subtropical, Inedible Peel, Cactus Subgroup and (5) 

Subgroup 24E - Tropical and Subtropical, Inedible Peel, Vine Subgroup. 

Selection of representative commodities are based on a representative commodity that is 

most likely to (1) contain the highest residues; (2) be major in terms of production and/or 

consumption and (3) similar in morphology, growth habit, pest problems and edible portion to 

the related commodities within a group or subgroup. Based on these criteria, one representative 

commodity is proposed (lychee) for Subgroup 24A; two representative commodities (avocado 

and pomegranate) are proposed for Subgroup 24B; two representative commodities (atemoya 

and pineapple) are proposed for Subgroup 24C; two representative commodities (dragon fruit 

and prickly pear) are proposed for Subgroup 24D and one representative commodity

(passionfruit) is proposed for Subgroup 24E.
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HED RECOMMENDATIONS: 

Each of the proposals and recommendations will be discussed below, followed by a series 

of other recommendations on terminology, database development, and harmonization with 

Codex. The EPA would like to commend the valuable and high quality input of the ICGCC, all 

its members, and the Committee Chairperson Bill Barney, USDA IR-4, and Kathryn Homa, 

Assistant Coordinator, USDA IR-4 for her research and high quality and comprehensive 

monographs that were used to develop the IR-4 proposal. We also want to commend Dr. YuenShaung Ng, Biologist, HED, Andrew Ertman, Sidney Jackson, and Laura Nollen, Biologists, RD, 

EPA for their input and development of various databases in this report and Dr. Paul Schwartz, 

USDA, Office of Minor Use Pesticides for his advice, peer review, and research office location.

IR-4 Proposals 1 and 2:

1. Establish a new crop group in 40 CFR 180.41 (c) as “Tropical and Subtropical Fruit, Inedible 

Peel”.

and 

2. “Add the following 104 commodities to this new crop group:

See the list of 104 proposed commodities for this crop group under the Action Requested 

Section Proposal 2.”

HED Recommendations for IR-4 Proposal 1 and 2:

We agree with the IR-4 scientific approach and logic used in developing this crop group 

and the five crop subgroups. Specifically the development of the proposed Tropical and 

Subtropical fruits, inedible peel, with the crop group consists of a diverse group of plants from 

twenty-eight plant families. Within this group, fruit size ranges from an approximate diameter of 

1 centimeter (0.39 inches) for the fruit of satinleaf, Chrysophyllum oliviforme L.) to 50 

centimeters (19.7 inches) for the fruit of jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.). In addition 

to size, the peel texture of tropical and subtropical fruit varies from a smooth peel such as banana

(Musa spp.); mango (Mangifera indica L.), papaya (Carica papaya L.), and pomegranate

(Punica granatum L.) to a knobby peel texture on atemoya (Annona cherimola Mill. X A. 

squamosa L.), bumpy peel texture in breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg) or spiny 

peel texture in rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.).

I also agree that subgroups based on fruit size (small versus medium to large fruit) based 

on the surface area to mass (volume) ratio as well as peel texture (rough or hairy, or smooth) 

with the addition of inedible peel vine crops resulted in the proposed crop grouping scheme.

We also agree with IR-4 on rejecting four proposed tropical fruits with an inedible peel 

from the palm family ((Arecaceae (alt. Palmae)), because none of the commodities met the 
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criteria for a representative commodity in a crop subgroup or there was no production in the US. 

These rejected tropical fruits include: (1) Guriri (Allagoptera arenaria (Gomes) Kuntze); (2) 

Muriti (Mauritia flexuosa L.f.); (3) Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L.); and (4) Salak 

(Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss). Other proposed tropical fruits with an inedible peel (ceibillo, 

Florida gooseberry, marolo, pindaiba, tucum palm and umari) were also rejected from 

consideration from the crop group because there was not enough information available to 

properly classify them into crop groups and subgroups or they are rarely cultivated. Most

however, are discussed in the analysis of this petition. 

Therefore, based on similarities in fruit size and having an inedible peel, and 

cultural practices, geographical distribution, lack of animal feed items, comparison of 

available established tolerances, and similarities of pest problems, and for international 

harmonization purposes, I recommend that ChemSAC concur to establish a new Tropical 

and Subtropical inedible peel crop group with 104 commodities and five crop subgroups.

Adding these commodities into a group will benefit growers by enabling tools for crop 

protection. Some “minor orphan” tropical fruit commodities such as dragon fruit and 

pomegranate have become more popular in some countries and areas today than they were ten

years ago. Increased globalization of cooking in the United States has resulted in different fruits 

to be enjoyed worldwide. Some of these “minor” fruits have great potential to be grown on a

larger scale in some areas in the future due to their unique nutritional and medicinal values. 

Being excluded from the crop groups, means that tolerances requested for these commodities 

would have to be established based on separate residue studies. The inclusion of tropical fruits 

with inedible peels will ultimately benefit US growers in exporting commodities that would have 

Codex MRL’s established based on a harmonized tropical and subtropical fruits, inedible peel 

crop group. A new tropical and subtropical fruit inedible peel crop group would also benefit 

growers and consumers, save considerable taxpayer’s money on residue studies, save precious 

resource time for government agencies on review of residue data and also facilitate the 

establishment of import tolerances. Also, this crop group regulation will facilitate the 

establishment of pesticide tolerances on numerous pesticides that are needed to control a wide 

diversity of tropical and subtropical fruit pests, as well as developing integrated pest control 

(IPM) programs to incorporate reduced risk pesticides, organic pesticides, and cultural practices 

to reduce the development of pesticide resistance.

The list of acceptable Tropical and Subtropical fruits – inedible fruit commodities and their 

scientific names for the 104 commodities were also updated and are listed in the Table below. 

“HED Corrected Proposed Tropical and Subtropical Fruit – Inedible Peel 24-13”. 

Commodities

Abiu, Pouteria caimito (Ruiz & Pav.) Radlk 

Aisen, Boscia senegalensis (Pers.) Lam. 

Akee apple, Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig

Atemoya, Annona cherimola Mill. X A. squamosa L. 

Avocado, Persea americana Mill.

Avocado, Guatemalan, Persea americana Mill. var. guatemalensis

Avocado, Mexican, Persea americana Mill. var. drymifolia (Schltdl. & Cham.) S. F. Blak

Avocado, West Indian, Persea americana var. americana

Bacury, Platonia insignis Mart.
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Commodities

Bael fruit, Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa

Banana, Musa spp. and hybrids

Banana, dwarf, Musa hybrids; Musa acuminata Colla

Binjai, Mangifera caesia Jack

Biriba, Annona mucosa Jacq.

Breadfruit, Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg

Burmese grape, Baccaurea ramiflora Lour.

Canistel, Pouteria campechiana (Kunth) Baehni

Cat's-eyes, Dimocarpus longan Lour. subsp. malesianus Leenh.

Champedak, Artocarpus integer (Thunb.) Merr. 

Cherimoya, Annona cherimola Mill.

Cupuacú, Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. Ex Spreng.) K. Schum.

Custard apple, Annona reticulata L.

Dragon fruit, Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britton & Rose

Durian, Durio zibethinus L.

Elephant-apple, Limonia acidissima L.

Etambe, Mangifera zeylanica (Blume) Hook. F.

Granadilla, Passiflora ligularis Juss.

Granadilla, Giant, Passiflora quadrangularis L.

Ilama, Annona macroprophyllata Donn. Sm.

Ingá , Inga vera Willd. subsp. affinis (DC.) T. D. Penn.

Jackfruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.

Jatobá, Hymenaea courbaril L.

Karuka, Pandanus julianettii Martelli

Kei apple, Dovyalis caffra (Hook. F. & Harv.) Warb.

Langsat, Lansium domesticum Corrêa

Lanjut, Mangifera lagenifera Griff.

Longan, Dimocarpus longan Lour.

Lucuma, Pouteria lucuma (Ruiz & Pav.) Kuntze

Lychee, Litchi chinensis Sonn.

Mabolo, Diospyros blancoi A. DC.

Madras-thorn, Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth.

Mammy-apple, Mammea americana L. 

Manduro, Balanites maughamii Sprague

Mango, Mangifera indica L.

Mango, horse, Mangifera foetida Lour.

Mango, Saipan, Mangifera odorata Griff.

Mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana L.

Marang, Artocarpus odoratissimus Blanco

Marmaladebox, Genipa americana L.

Matisia, Matisia cordata Humb. & Bonpl.

Mesquite, Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.

Mongongo, fruit, Schinziophyton rautanenii (Schinz) Radcl.-Sm

Monkey-bread-tree, Adansonia digitata L.

Monstera, Monstera deliciosa Liebm.

Nicobar-breadfruit, Pandanus leram Jones ex Fontana

Paho, Mangifera altissima Blanco

Pandanus, Pandanus utilis Bory

Papaya, Carica papaya L.

Passionflower, Winged-stem, Passiflora alata Curtis

Passionfruit, Passiflora edulis Sims

Passionfruit, Banana, Passiflora tripartita var. mollissima (Kunth) Holm-Niels. & P. Jorg.
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Commodities

Passionfruit, Purple, Passiflora edulis Sims forma edulis

Passionfruit, Yellow, Passiflora edulis Sims forma flavicarpa O. Deg.

Pawpaw, Common, Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal

Pawpaw, Small-flower, Asimina parviflora (Michx.) Dunal

Pelipisan, Mangifera casturi Kosterm.

Pequi, Caryocar brasiliense Cambess

Pequia, Caryocar villosum (Aubl.) Pers.

Persimmon, American, Diospyros virginiana L.

Pineapple, Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.

Pitahaya, Hylocereus polyrhizus(F. A. C. Weber) Britton & Rose

Pitaya, Hylocereus sp. Including H. megalanthus, H. ocamponis and H. polychizus

Pitaya Amarilla, Hylocereus triangularis Britton & Rose

Pitaya Roja, Hylocereus ocamponis (Salm-Dyck) Britton & Rose

Pitaya, Yellow, Hylocereus megalanthus (K. Schum. ex Vaupel) Ralf Bauer

Plantain, Musa paradisiaca L.

Pomegranate, Punica granatum L.

Poshte, Annona liebmanniana Baill.

Prickly pear, fruit Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill., Opuntia spp.

Prickly pear, Texas,fruit Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelm. var. lindheimeri (Engelm.) B. D. 

Parfitt & Pinkava

Pulasan, Nephelium ramboutan-ake (Labill.) Leenh.

Quandong, Santalum acuminatum (R. Br.) DC.

Rambutan, Nephelium lappaceum L.

Saguaro, Carnegiea gigantea (Engelm.) Britton & Rose

Sapodilla, Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen

Sapote, black, Diospyros digyna Jacq.

Sapote, green, Pouteria viridis (Pittier) Cronquist

Sapote, mamey, Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore & Stearn

Sapote, white, Casimiroa edulis La Llave & Lex

Sataw, Parkia speciosa Hassk.

Satinleaf, Chrysophyllum oliviforme L.

Screw-pine, Pandanus tectorius Parkinson

Sierra Leone-tamarind, Dialium guineense Willd.

Soncoya, Annona purpurea Moc. & Sessé ex Dunal

Soursop, Annona muricata L.

Spanish lime, Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq.

Star apple, Chrysophyllum cainito L.

Sugar apple, Annona squamosa L.

Sun Sapote, Licania platypus (Hemsl.) Fritsch

Tamarind-of-the-Indies, Vangueria madagascariensis J. F. Gmel.

Velvet Tamarind, Dialium indum L.

Wampi, Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels

White star apple, Chrysophyllum albidum G. Don

Wild loquat, Uapaca kirkiana Müll. Arg.

Cultivars, varieties, and hybrids of these commodities.

Additional notes: 

 HED also recommends changing the preferred commodity name for Pawpaw to Pawpaw, common (Asimina 

triloba (L.) Dunal) or common pawpaw to distinguish it from the commodity papaya (Carica papaya L.), 

which New Zealand calls papaw in commercial trade. 

 The commodity Mongongo will be changed to Mongongo, fruit to distinguish from the Mongongo, nut that is 

a member in the Tree nut crop group 14-12.

 HED also recommends that in the crop group table the term “varieties and/or hybrids of these” should be 
11

changed to, “Cultivars, varieties, and hybrids of these commodities” to avoid all confusion with 

terminology regarding whether they are cultivars, varieties, or hybrids of the tropical fruit inedible peel 

commodities. 

IR-4 Proposal 3:

3. “Recommend the following eight commodities: Atemoya, avocado, dragon fruit, lychee, 

passionfruit, pineapple, pomegranate and prickly pear to be representative commodities for the 

new crop group.”

HED Recommendations for IR-4 Proposal 3:

I recommend ChemSAC concur to add atemoya, avocado, dragon fruit, lychee, 

passionfruit, pineapple, and prickly pear as representative commodities for the new Tropical and 

subtropical fruit –inedible peel Crop Group 24. Also sugar apple should be added as an 

alternative commodity to atemoya since there are several tolerances already established for sugar 

apple. I also recommend banana to be an alternative representative commodity to pomegranate 

based on its high consumption, production, large number of established tolerances. Pomegranate 

is increasing in popularity and acres in the U.S. and makes a good alternate representative 

commodity to banana based on more acreage in the U.S. and wider geographical representation. 

These representative commodities will account for > 99% of the harvested U.S. acres for the 

members of the new crop group. The representative commodities are based on similarities in 

fruit surface area, edible portions, and cultural practices and geographical locations, pest 

problems, as well as their high production (both acres and yield) and consumption. We expect 

that all proposed members of the proposed crop group will have similar residue levels based on 

similarities of the raw agricultural commodities (RAC’s), cultural practices, and pest problems, 

and a comparison of established tolerances on these commodities supports that residue levels 

will cover the wide number of commodities. 

IR-4 Proposal 4: “Propose establishing five tropical and subtropical inedible peel crop 

subgroups with their representative commodities and list of commodities in each crop subgroup 

are shown below:”

1) Subgroup 24A; Tropical and Subtropical, Small Fruit, Inedible Peel Subgroup

Proposed Representative Crop: Lychee

There are eighteen commodities proposed for this subgroup and include:

Aisen; Bael fruit; Burmese grape; Cat’s eyes; Ingá; Lychee; Madras-thorn; 

Manduro; Matisia; Mesquite; Mongongo, fruit; Pawpaw, small-flower; Satinleaf; 

Sierra Leone-tamarind; Spanish lime; Velvet tamarind; Wampi; White star apple

2) Subgroup 24B; Tropical and Subtropical, Medium to Large Fruit, Smooth, 

Inedible Peel Subgroup

Proposed Representative Crops: Avocado and Pomegranate or Banana
12

There are forty-two commodities proposed for this subgroup and include:

Abiu; Akee apple; Avocado; Avocado, Guatemalan; Avocado, Mexican; Avocado, 

West Indian; Bacury; Banana; Banana, dwarf; Binjai; Canistel; Cupuacú; 

Etambe; Jatobá; Kei apple; Langstat; Lanjut; Lucuma; Mabolo; Mango; Mango, 

horse; Mango, Saipan; Mangosteen; Paho; Papaya; Pawpaw, common; Pelipisan; 

Pequi; Pequia; Persimmon, American; Plantain; Pomegranate; Poshte; Quandong; 

Sapote, black; Sapote, green; Sapote, white; Sataw; Screw-pine; Star apple; 

Tamarind-of-the-Indies; Wild loquat

3) Subgroup 24C; Tropical and Subtropical, Medium to Large Fruit, Rough or Hairy, 

Inedible Peel Subgroup

Proposed Representative Crop: Atemoya and Pineapple

There are twenty-seven commodities proposed for this subgroup and include:

Atemoya; Biriba; Breadfruit; Champedak; Cherimoya; Custard apple; Durian; 

Elephant-apple; Ilama; Jackfruit; Karuka; Longan; Mammy-apple; Marmaladebox; Marang; Monkey-bread tree; Nicobar-breadfruit; Pandanus; Pineapple; 

Pulasan; Rambutan; Sapodilla; Sapote, mamey; Soncoya; Soursop; Sugar apple; 

Sun sapote

4) Subgroup 24D; Tropical and Subtropical, Inedible Peel, Cactus Subgroup 

Proposed Representative Crop: Dragon fruit and Prickly pear, fruit

There are nine commodities proposed for this subgroup and include:

Dragon fruit; Pitahaya; Pitaya; Pitaya Amarilla; Pitaya Roja; Pitaya, yellow; Prickly pear; 

fruit Texas Prickly pear; Saguaro

5) Subgroup 24E; Tropical and Subtropical, Inedible Peel, Vine Subgroup

Propose, fruit d Representative Crop: Passionfruit

There are eight commodities proposed for this subgroup and include:

Granadilla; Granadilla, Giant; Monstera; Passionflower, Winged-stem; 

Passionfruit; Passionfruit, banana; Passionfruit, purple; Passionfruit, yellow

HED Recommendations for Proposal 4:

I recommend ChemSAC concur to approve the five proposed crop subgroups because of 

similarities between cultural practices, potential residue exposure due to fruit size area, and lack 

of animal feed items. The majority of tolerances established on avocado, lychee, papaya, and 

sugar apple are based on the proposed approved commodity definitions by ChemSAC in 1998 

and the established banana and sugar apple commodity definitions in the Federal Register. 
13

Existing tolerances also support the proposed subgroups and representative commodities (Table 

35) by covering a wide range of residues such as lychee (Rep 24A) tolerances are generally 

higher than avocado (Rep for 24B) and atemoya (Rep for 24C), and passionfruit (Rep for 24E). 

Cactus the representative commodity for subgroup 24D has higher tolerances than lychee (Rep 

for 24A) where direct comparisons are available. Detailed comparisons of established tropical 

fruit tolerances for these proposed representative are discussed in the “comparison of potential 

residue levels in the tropical and subtropical fruit-inedible peel” as well as comparisons of

existing US and Codex tolerances (MRL’s) established on Tropical and Subtropical Fruits with 

an inedible peel (see Tables 35 – 44 in separate analysis). As stated previously, I recommend 

banana to be an alternative representative commodity to pomegranate based on its high 

consumption, production, large number of established tolerances. Pomegranate is increasing in 

popularity and acres in the U.S. and makes a good alternate representative commodity to banana 

based on more acreage in the U.S. and wider geographical representation. These representative 

commodities will account for > 99% of the harvested U.S. acres for the members of the new crop 

group. I also recommend that Subgroup 24C; Tropical and Subtropical, Medium to Large Fruit, 

Rough or Hairy, Inedible Peel Subgroup with the proposed representative crops being atemoya 

and pineapple should also have sugar apple added as an alternative crop to atemoya based on 

several tolerances being established on sugar apple. The representative commodities for crop 

subgroup 24C would be “atemoya or sugar apple and pineapple”.

IR-4 Proposal 5: “Add Commodity Definitions [40 CFR 180.1 (g)] for Avocado, banana, and 

passionfruit.

A B

Avocado (Persea 

americana Mill.)

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.); Avocado, Guatemalan (Persea americana

Mill. var. guatemalensis); Avocado, Mexican (Persea americana Mill. var. 

drymifolia (Schltdl. & Cham.) S. F. Blake); Avocado, West Indian (Persea 

americana var. americana)

Banana (Musa spp.) Banana (Musa spp.); Banana, Dwarf (Musa hybrids; Musa acuminata Colla); 

Plantain (Musa x paradisiaca L. )

Passionfruit (Passiflora 

edulis Sims)

Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis Sims); Passionfruit, Purple (Passiflora edulis

Sims forma edulis); Passionfruit, Yellow (Passiflora edulis Sims forma 

flavicarpa O. Deg.)

“

HED Recommendations for IR-4 Proposal 5:

Currently there are two established commodity definitions [(40 CFR § 180.1(g)] which 

apply to the proposed for tropical and subtropical fruits – inedible peel group. They are banana 

and sugar apple (Table 65). The tropical fruits having no crop group have had to set tolerances 

on a case by case basis for each commodity. Before the Tropical and subtropical fruit – inedible 

peel group proposal, to help the U.S. tropical fruit growers, and to facilitate residue data 

generation and tolerance establishment on tropical and subtropical fruits, USDA IR-4 requested 

commodity definitions for avocado, lychee, papaya, and an update to sugar apple and ChemSAC 

approved these commodity definitions in 1998 (Schneider, B.A. 1998 b, c, d, and e). The six 

proposed new or revised commodity definitions will be discussed below. Except for the case of 

the established commodity definition for banana and sugar apple, ChemSAC approved 
14

commodity definition for avocado and it has been successful in establishing 36 tolerances for 

avocado, papaya, caimito (star apple), black sapote, mango, sapodilla, canistel, and mamey

sapote (See Tables 36, 38, and 39). The definition for lychee has been successful in establishing 

16 tolerances for lychee, longan, Spanish lime, pulasan, and rambutan (Tables 37 and 43). The 

commodity definition for sugar apple has been successful in establishing ten tolerances for sugar 

apple, atemoya, custard apple, cherimoya, ilama, soursop, and biriba (Tables 41, 44, and 47). 

Banana has 22 established tolerances (Table 39). When the Tropical and subtropical fruit group 

- inedible peel is established the need for all the proposed tropical fruit commodity definitions 

except for banana and sugar apple will no longer be necessary. With the proposed established 

of the Tropical and subtropical fruit – inedible peel group 24, I recommend ChemSAC 

approve deleting the previously ChemSAC approved avocado, lychee and papaya 

commodity definitions under 40 CFR Part 180.1(g) because each of these commodities are 

listed separately as members of the new proposed Tropical and subtropical fruit – inedible 

peel crop group, as well as members of crop subgroups. Since these three commodity 

definitions were not published in the Federal Register there is no issue deleting them.

HED recommendations for revisions to commodity definitions both established and 

proposed as follows:

Commodity Definition Proposed Decision

Avocado Recommend not to establish this commodity

definition since all of the commodities except 

mamey sapote will be a member of crop subgroup 

24B - Tropical and subtropical, medium to large 

fruit, smooth inedible peel. Mamey sapote will 

become member of crop subgroup 24C - Tropical 

and subtropical, medium to large fruit, rough or 

hairy, inedible peel. The other proposed avocado 

commodities listed in Table 66 will be listed as 

separate distinct members of the crop group and a 

definition will not be needed. 

Banana The proposed change to the banana commodity 

definition is to add dwarf banana and their scientific 

names. Because of the success of the current 

banana commodity definition we recommend not to 

add these two items because they are included in the 

current commodity definition or in the case of dwarf

banana it is included as a distinct member of the 

Tropical and subtropical fruit – inedible peel. 

Lychee 

The commodity definition for lychee will no longer 

be needed, since lychee will be the representative 

commodity for crop subgroup 24A - Tropical and 

subtropical, small fruit, inedible peel subgroup. 

Several of the commodities including longan, 

rambutan, and pulusan will be in crop subgroup 

24C - Tropical and subtropical, medium to large 
15

Commodity Definition Proposed Decision

fruit, rough or hairy, inedible peel. 

Papaya

The commodity definition for papaya will also no 

longer be needed since it will become a member of 

crop subgroup 24B - Tropical and subtropical, 

medium to large fruit, smooth inedible peel with 

avocado as the representative commodity.

Passionfruit

The proposed commodity definition for passionfruit 

is not necessary since crop subgroup 24E - Tropical 

and subtropical, vine subgroup with passionfruit as 

the representative commodity, and all the proposed 

commodities are in this subgroup.

Sugar Apple 

The addition of ilama and biriba to the established 

sugar apple definition is also not recommended 

since there are ten established tolerances based on 

the established definition and these two 

commodities are listed as members of the crop 

group and are in the same subgroup 24C as sugar 

apple. Atemoya and sugar apple are proposed 

representative commodities to crop subgroup 24C -

Tropical and subtropical, medium to large fruit, 

rough or hairy, inedible peel subgroup. 

However the scientific names to the current 

commodity definition for sugar apple needs to be 

updated as follows:

Current sugar apple definition:

“Sugar apple = (Annona squamosa L. (sugar apple, 

sweetsop, anon), and its hybrid A. squamosa L. x A. 

cherimoya M. (atemoya). Also true custard apple.”

Revise Sugar apple definition to:

“Sugar apple = sugar apple (Annona squamosa L. 

and its hybrid atemoya (Annona cherimola Mill X 

A. squamosa L.) Also includes true custard apple 

(Annona reticulata L.). Sweetsop and Anon are 

lookup terms for sugar apple and can be deleted

from this revised definition”.

Additional HED Recommendations/Conclusions:

HED Conclusion 6:
16

Another important aspect of crop grouping is the harmonization effort with the Codex 

Classification of Foods and Animal Feeds. The proposed EPA crop group for Tropical and 

subtropical fruit group – inedible peel is very similar to the corresponding Codex Assorted 

tropical and sub-tropical fruits group – inedible peel. The Codex Group 006, Assorted tropical 

and sub-tropical fruits group – inedible peel (Crop Group 006, letter code FI), consists of sixtytwo commodities including matches to the proposed EPA commodities and crop group (Table 

48). 

The differences are several of the Codex commodities refer to another commodity such 

as “Egg, fruit see Canistel” whereas in the U.S crop grouping system canistel is a distinct 

commodity. The sixty-two Codex commodities really consist of forty-seven distinct 

commodities with the rest being multiple entries, or varieties of cultivar of other commodities 

listed. The U.S. is proposing to add several commodities such as abiu, aisen, binji, Burmese 

grape, and wampi that are not yet in the Codex system. Several Codex names are equivalent to 

lookup terms in the EPA Food and Feed Commodity Vocabulary like Java apple is wax jambu. 

Some of the commodities like guava and tamarind are being placed in the tropical and 

subtropical fruit - edible peel group. Note that the current Codex crop group does not have 

representative commodities. A revision of the Codex Classification is underway with 

consideration to include adding new commodities, creating subgroups, and selecting 

representative commodities. The expanded Tropical and Subtropical Fruit – Inedible Peel Group

24 and the representative commodities proposed in this petition would facilitate the 

harmonization of the U.S. and the Codex crop classification systems. 

Codex uses multiple commodity terms for the same commodity and refers to the preferred 

commodity, while EPA has the Food and Feed Commodity Vocabulary website that has many

lookup terms that link to the preferred commodity term used for establishing tolerances/MRL. 

HED Conclusion 7:

Guidance for HED SOP 99.6 - “Classification of Food Forms with Respect to Level of 

Blending” issued August 20, 1999, and HED SOP 2000.1 – “Guidance for Translation of Field 

Trial Data from Representative Commodities in the Crop Group Regulation to Other 

Commodities in Each Crop Group/Subgroup” issued September 12, 2000 can be updated to 

reflect the amendment to the Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Group 24. The updates are 

discussed in the HED SOP 2001.1 Section of this analysis.

HED Conclusion 8:

Guidance on expressing tolerance terminology for the new Tropical and subtropical fruit 

- inedible peel 24 are discussed under the “Tolerance expression guidance section of this 

analysis. New lookup and preferred EPA terms for the members of the Tropical and subtropical 

fruit group - inedible peel Crop Group are listed in the EPA Food and Feed Commodity

Vocabulary section of this report and these terms will be added to the updated EPA Food and 

Feed Commodity Vocabulary website (http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/foodfeed).