Dr. Gene Kupferman has a dream of having every piece of fruit that leaves Washington State be edible and ready (or nearly ready) to eat. Pears present a challenge to his vision, because they don't travel well when shipped ripe but must be conditionedbefore shipment or at the retail level to speed up the at-home ripening by a consumer. With support of the Pear Bureau Northwest, Kupferman began research last year to identify optimal pear conditioning methods throughout the storage season. He recentlygave a progress report of his work with early and mid-season fruit during the North Central Washington Pear Day in Wenatchee. Additional sensory work with late-season fruit will be conducted this year. Next fall, he will evaluate different temperatures for the treatment.
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