Does Asian Pear Go Bad?

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Asian pear is a beautiful fruit. It is most commonly yellow Brown or greenish Brown in color. Asian pears have the same shape as apples and have that crunch when you bite into them, so they are also called Apple pears.

Asian pears are commonly used to make juices or garnishing, to make sauces; some people even make edible mugs out of it as it has a balancing shape and is hard to touch; they have many other uses. Korea, Japan, and China are its biggest producers. It does not go bad very quickly, unlike some fruits that go bad within 2-3 days. Asian Pears can last up to a week on the shelf and more when refrigerated; however, they are fragile and can easily bruise with the slightest pressure.

How to store Asian pears

Asian pears are very firm to touch, but they get bruise very easily, so care needs to be taken while storing or transporting them. They also have a good shelf life, but a few storing techniques can help them last longer while maintaining their crispness and sweet aroma.

Keep away from sunlight

Asian pears are still in the process of ripening even after they are picked off from the tree, so store them in a cool, dry place somewhere like a garage or in a room where you mostly keep food supplies so that they get ripe at a slow, steady phase and not get rotten.

Use padding

Asian pears may look crisp or hard on the outside, but they bruise very easily, so one should handle them with care. Always wrap them in padding after buying, and do not remove the padding until you use them.

Refrigerate it

Asian pears can last up to two months when refrigerated; cover them with padding and place them in paper bags. Refrigeration will keep them crisp, crunchy, and juicy. Also, try not to place something heavy on it as it may bruise; avoid placing it next to something with a strong odor as it can affect its fruity aroma.

Using perforated bags

You can easily find perforated bags at retail stores; these are plastic bags with holes for ventilation. This will allow the fruit to release moisture keeping it fresh and crisp.

Storing Asian pears does turn its flavor a bit acidic.

Can you freeze Asian pears?

Asian pears are most commonly frozen for storage purposes. When in the season, you can buy enough and freeze them and use it around the year. We can freeze them in many ways; however, if you peel and cut it into small parts before freezing it as it becomes somewhat hard to cut when frozen, you can then put them into zip lock bags.

One common way to freeze Asian pears is the sweet syrup method; in this method, you make a mixture of water and sugar the amount of sugar added is decided according to the desired strength of the mixture, the mixture is then boiled and then spread upon the fine cut Asian pears. Store the mixture in canning jars, let it cool down at room temperature, and put it in the fridge afterward.

How long do Asian pears last

Asian pears are firm and crisp to touch and last quite long; an average pear can last up weeks at room temperature and for months when refrigerated. As we mentioned earlier, by some storage techniques and precautionary measures, we can use them all year.

The average life of pears also depends upon the variety of the pear used; some last longer than others. Its life also depends upon the product in which it is used. For example, overripe Asian pears are used for cooking as they get rotten very soon and do not have that crunchy effect when you bite into it.

How to tell if Asian pear is bad

Asian pears taste best when eaten soon after they are purchased. They generally last for a week or two without refrigeration; a fresh Asian pear has a crisp and firm look and makes a crunch sound when you bite into it. We can easily differentiate between a good and a bad pier by a few signs.

  • A bad Asian pear has a blemish or bruise that could have happened due to shipping or over-ripening.
  • Asian pears are generally yellowish Brown or greenish Brown in color, so if you have a pear with strong Brown color or has discolored, it may not be fully ripe yet or may be rotten.
  • As pears are grown on trees so always look for insect holes when purchasing it. It is common for pears to have insect holes. Never buy fruits with insect holes.
  • Some Asian pears are rotten at the center; this is because fungi developed at the core, which makes the pear inedible. The pear may appear fresh on the outside but is rotten on the inside.

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