Good quality apples and pears should be flavorful and well colored with firm, smooth skins. Pressure, sugar level and crispness will vary, depending upon the variety. Avoid fruit with broken or wrinkled skin, missing stems or internal browning.

Some pear and Asian pear varieties have very delicate skins and often are packed in individual Styrofoam cups to minimize injury during transporting. These protective cups should stay on the pears when displayed.

All Varieties:
32 - 34 degrees F, 0 - 1.1 degrees C

Pears, to ripen:
60 - 70 degrees F, 15.6 - 21.1 degrees C

Most pipfruit varieties are big ethylene producers and are also sensitive to ethylene exposure. (Fuji and Granny Smith varieties are low producers of ethylene gas.)

Pipfruit are odor sensitive. Store away from odor producing items like onions and potatoes.

Pears are also odor producers.

All pipfruit varieties are moderately sensitive to chilling injury.

Provide a choice of varieties, and alternate colors to draw attention to the display. Small stores should stock a minimum of seven varieties. Larger stores should stock at least 12.

Provide shoppers with a taste, so that they can learn the characteristics of each kind and develop new favorites.