Storing, Handling and Temperature
MERCHANDISING, STORAGE AND HANDLING OF NEW JERSEY PEACHES
by
Dan Ward PhD, Specialist in Pomology, Rutgers NJAES, Cooperative Extension
Tips for Ripening and Handling Peaches
- Minimize Handling and Stacking
- Market fruit as soon as possible
- Market ripest fruit first
- Ripe New Jersey peaches do not need to be preconditioned and will generally not get wooly or mealy
- Peach flesh firmness
- Ready to eat - two to three pounds
- Ready to display: six to eight pounds
- Ready to pick: ten to sixteen pounds
- At 68F (20C) peaches lose about two pounds of firmness per day