How Is a Pear Processed? An Introduction to the Production Methods of Several Common Pear Products

Pears have a long history of cultivation in China. At present, the total pear output accounts for about 20% of the country's total fruit output, making pears the fruit with the highest output in China. Pears come onto the market in a relatively concentrated period, and most pears do not store well, so they flood the market quickly and prices are relatively low. If they are properly processed, they can be supplied to the market year-round. The following introduces several processing methods for pear products.

I. Pears in Syrup

1. Process flow

Raw material selection -> washing -> removal of fruit stalk and peeling -> cutting and removal of core -> trimming -> color protection -> pre-cooking -> sorting -> filling into cans -> heating and exhausting -> sealing -> sterilization and cooling -> wiping cans and storing in warehouse.

2. Key operation points

(1) Raw materials: Select fruit that is fresh and plump, at 70% to 80% maturity, with fine flesh, few stone cells, normal flavor, and no mold, freeze damage, pests or diseases, or mechanical injury. Transverse diameter standards: Laiyang pear and Xuehua pear 65 mm to 90 mm, Ya pear and Changba pear etc. 60 mm or more, white pear 55 mm or more, and some varieties may be below 50 mm.

(2) Washing: Wash off surface dirt with clean water, soak in a 0.1% hydrochloric acid solution for 5 minutes to remove surface wax and pesticide, then rinse clean with clean water.

(3) Removing the fruit stalk and peeling: First remove the fruit stalk, then peel by machine or by hand.

(4) Cutting and removing the core: Use a stainless steel fruit knife to cut lengthwise into two halves, and scoop out the core and calyx.

(5) Trimming and color protection: Remove mechanical injuries, insect-damaged spots, and remaining peel, then put them into a 1% to 2% salt water solution to soak for color protection, and then wash twice with clean water.

(6) Pre-cooking: Add 0.1% to 0.2% citric acid to clean water, heat to boiling, and then add the material. Cook for 5 minutes to 10 minutes depending on fruit size, until cooked through but not mushy.

(7) Sorting: Grade according to fruit shape, size, color, and maturity, and remove soft, mushy, discolored fruit pieces with spots or scars.

(8) Filling into cans: Put 290 grams of fruit pieces into sterilized glass jars, and add 220 grams of syrup.

(9) Heating and exhausting: After filling, immediately send to an exhaust box for heating and exhausting, with the center temperature of the can above 80°C.

(10) Sealing: Place the can lid properly and seal on a can seamer. There must be no air leakage.

(11) Sterilization and cooling: Boil the cans in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes, then cool in stages to 38°C.

(12) Wiping cans and storing in warehouse: Wipe dry the moisture and store in a normal-temperature warehouse for one week.

3. Quality requirements

The flesh is white or yellow, with relatively uniform color. The syrup is relatively transparent. A small amount of fruit flesh fragments that do not cause cloudiness is allowed. It has the flavor that this variety of canned pears in syrup should have, is sweet and sour and palatable, and has no off-flavor. The pear slices have a moderately soft and firm texture, with no coarse stone-cell sensation when eaten. The pieces are intact. Fruit pieces in the same can are uniform in size. No mechanical injury or insect-damaged spots. The fruit flesh is not less than 55% of the total net weight. The syrup concentration is not less than 14%-18% (measured by refractometer when the can is opened).

4. Points for attention

For varieties with acidity below 0.1%, 0.15% to 0.2% citric acid should be added to the syrup. The production process must be rapid, especially in the handling of the fruit, sealing, and sterilization steps. During pre-cooking, there should be plenty of water, sufficient steam, and an appropriate amount, so that the fruit is cooked through but not mushy. Do not use pears with low maturity or those that have been frozen in storage. When producing canned Xuehua pears in syrup in winter, soaking them in about 30°C pear-cooking water for 30 minutes can prevent the pear pieces from discoloring during pre-cooking.

II. Pear Preserves

1. Process flow

Raw material selection -> peeling -> soaking in limewater -> rinsing -> sugar soaking and sugar boiling -> cooling -> packaging.

2. Key operation points

(1) Raw materials. Select raw materials with no mechanical injury, no rot, and unsuitable for processing dried pears and preserved pear slices, such as various sour pears and mixed pears, all of which can be made into preserves.

(2) Peeling. Select qualified pears, rinse with clean water, and peel off the outer skin.

(3) Soaking in limewater. Put the peeled pears into 15% to 20% fresh limewater, with the pears submerged, and soak for 3 days to 5 days, turning twice each day.

(4) Rinsing. Move the pear blanks to a clean water vat and soak for 4 days to 5 days, changing the water twice each day. After rinsing off the limewater, remove the pear blanks and drain off the water.

(5) Sugar soaking and sugar boiling. Pour the pear blanks together with the sugar liquid into an aluminum pot, heat to boiling, add granulated sugar equal to 30% of the weight of the pear blanks, and boil over high heat for about 1 hour. Remove from the heat together with the sugar liquid and pour into a vat, and soak in sugar for 1 day. On the second day, pour the sugar-boiled pear liquid back into the pot and bring to a boil, add another 30% granulated sugar, and boil for about 1 hour, until the temperature reaches 108°C to 110°C. When the sugar liquid is lifted with a spatula and forms threads as it drips down, this indicates that sugar boiling is complete.

(6) Cooling. Quickly scoop out the pear pieces with a large slotted spoon and move them onto a board so they cool immediately, yielding the finished product.

(7) Packaging. Pack and seal in 0.5 kg plastic film food bags, then box for external transport.

3. Quality requirements

The exterior is dry, the interior is moist, the taste is sweet and crisp, and the sugar content reaches about 65%.

III. Preserved Pear Slices

1. Process flow

Raw material selection -> peeling -> rinsing -> cutting in half and removing the core -> sulfur fumigation -> sugar soaking -> first sugar boiling -> sugar soaking -> second sugar boiling -> sugar soaking -> shaping -> baking -> packaging.

2. Key operation points