TABLE 1.--Days of additional storage life respondents wanted for 6 commodities! 
Days Days Days Days Days Days 
Average....e. ais <ieeate oe 14.1 ligne AAAS OS 9.8 
HANS Crete tetetetarctelens te Soar 0-270 0-2'70 0-270 0-195 O-'75 0-75 
Number of responses.. 66 101 90 62 92 78 
a Range of replies giving a specific length of time (excludes such replies as "as long 
as possible"). 
Comments reflecting the ideas of respondents concerning extended refrigerated 
storage life are as follows: 
1. ''No need to extend storage life, but the process would be valuable for reducing 
spoilage and maintaining quality. "' 
2. "If storage life were extended it would benefit other production areas relatively 
more which would be to our (California's) detriment." 
3. ''When market is good no extension is needed; when market is bad we need 
another week or two," 
4. ''No extended life needed until at end of season. For peaches, better quality 
fruit comes later in the season; therefore, no benefit from storing early production. "' 
5. "If storage life is extended, we can distribute product more evenly and avoid 
marketing too much at times of overproduction." 
6. 'Extension of shelf life would be extremely beneficial. "' 
7. "Extended storage life is needed for export sales." 
8. "Extend storage life as much as possible without loss of flavor, quality and ap- 
pearance, "' 
9. ''The longer storage life can be extended the better. '"' 
Question 6. --On the basis of your judgment with regard to the advantages and dis- 
advantages of radiation processing, what is your best estimate of the cost you could 
afford to pay for radiation pasteurization of strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, grapes, 
oranges, and grapefruit? 
Most respondents gave estimates in terms of a range of costs rather than a single 
figure. The range of cost estimates and the modal class cost interval for each commitity 
are given in table 2. 
The question was difficult to answer because of (1) the limited information available 
about the process, and (2) the amount of projection and judgment required in answering 
it. Considered by commodity, approximately one-half of the respondents in each case 
did not answer question 6. Those who did answer it gave a wide range of cost estimates 
(table 2 and appendix A, table 12). 
TABLE 2.--Cost per pound that respondents estimated they could pay for 
radiation processing of 6 commodities 
berries 
Cents Cents Cents 
0-6 0-3 0-4 0-3 0-3 0-3 
1-1/2-2 0-1/2 0-1/2 0-1/2 0-1/2 0-1/2 
Range of cost estimates.. 
VO Cause CUaS Sitereeetelevecelers suet 
Number of responses...... 
