Hazel technologies completes pear trials with cornell university

Hazel Technologies, Inc., a USDA-supported company, announces the successful completion of research trials with Cornell University to validate a new post-harvest quality technology for fresh pears. Hazel Pear joins the Hazel suite of technologies and is available to growers and packers during the 2018 US pear season.

Pears pose a unique challenge to growers, packers, and retailers. Overripe pears are fragile and a significant source of shrink. Researchers at Cornell used Hazel Pear to extend shelf-life in a simulated retail environment longer than control pears. Shelf-life quality was measured by color, firmness, and flavor.

"Growers and packers want to see third-party data on new products from trusted academic institutions," said Adam Preslar, COO and co-founder of Hazel Technologies. "The project with Cornell University, an institution highly respected by the pome fruit industry, has already caught the attention of some of the largest pear brands in the industry."

The trials of Hazel Pear were conducted under the leadership of the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) program. CCE specializes in post-harvest research studies with a focus in tree fruit, and is one of the world's leading institutions in researching the commercial use of 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on pome fruit.