Stemilt ends use of anti-ripening agents on pears, focusing on flavor

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers will no longer use anti-ripening agents on pears, stating that doing so compromises quality.

“Pears can often present a challenge for the retailer as they are not ripe when the consumer is ready to make the purchase,” marketing director Roger Pepperl said in a news release. “When consumers go to the store, they expect the fruit to be ready to eat as soon as they get home — not a week down the road. We found that anti-ripening agents contributed to a product that never reached its potential flavor and was not delivering the consumer with an amazing eating experience.”

Stemilt has placed a special emphasis on flavor for pears in recent years and encourages retailers to offer ripened fruit.

“Our RipeRite program helps the ripening process and allows us to pull anti-ripening agents entirely so we can provide customers with a flavorful Rushing Rivers pear from Stemilt,” Pepperl said in the release. “From this point forward, the consumer can recognize the brand and trust it, knowing they purchased a beautifully ripened, juicy, buttery smooth pear.”

Stemilt conditions fruit in Thermal Tech Tarpless ripening rooms using ethylene, a process similar to those used on avocados and bananas. Along with ripening, the process “increases flavor enzymes and keeps fruit close to their preferred pressures,” per the release.