What do you know about the latest innovations in postharvest conservation of European pear?

The European pear (Pyrus communis) is one of the most important pome fruits, both for its nutritional value and its commercial relevance. However, its high perishability and sensitivity make postharvest handling—from harvest to market delivery—a constant challenge. The correct combination of harvest criteria, storage, ripening control, and appropriate technologies is crucial to ensure that the fruit reaches the market with optimal quality, firmness, and shelf life.

With the aim of offering the fruit and vegetable sector an up-to-date and rigorous technical tool, Biblioteca Horticultura launches the new publication “Postharvest Conservation Strategies for European Pear (Pyrus communis L.). Challenges, Determining Factors, and Technological Advances.” This work summarizes, in a single publication, the critical conservation factors and the innovative solutions currently available.

Advanced solutions for postharvest pear challenges

The publication provides an in-depth review of established technologies such as cold storage, controlled atmosphere storage (CA and DCA), and the use of ethylene inhibitors like 1-MCP, which are essential for delaying ripening and senescence.

It also incorporates the latest trends: edible coatings, non-thermal treatments, integrated gas and humidity control, and real-time monitoring systems for storage parameters. These techniques allow precise adjustment of storage room conditions, reducing deterioration, physiological disorders, and firmness loss.

The importance of preharvest management, selection of the optimal harvest time, and genetics/variety is also addressed, as these factors largely determine the pear’s storage potential. This integrated perspective (field → storage → market) enables more accurate technical decision-making.

Together, these solutions position the publication as a practical and up-to-date guide, capable of adapting to current industry demands for quality, safety, and sustainability.

Relevance for the postharvest sector

For producers and managers of packinghouses and storage facilities, the work offers clear criteria to optimize harvesting, storage, and conservation, reducing losses and improving shelf life.

For suppliers of postharvest technologies, inputs, and services, it provides a technical overview of current needs and emerging trends — from atmospheric control to coatings and digital monitoring — facilitating innovation and product adaptation.

For researchers, quality technicians, and R&D managers, it serves as an up-to-date scientific reference, analyzing conservation factors, physiology, genetics, varieties, and emerging technologies with an empirical and practical approach.

In this sense, the work contributes to professionalizing and modernizing European pear postharvest management, aligning with the growing demands of the global market and sustainability requirements.

About Biblioteca Horticultura

Poscosecha.com, through its Biblioteca Horticultura section, has established itself as a reference platform for the fruit and vegetable sector, offering up-to-date technical, scientific, and commercial documentation. The recent publication on European pear conservation reaffirms its commitment to disseminating specialized knowledge and provides the professional community with an essential reference tool. Thanks to the support of sector researchers and contributions from partner companies, the guide positions itself as a benchmark for those seeking to combine technical rigor with practical solutions.