Pear packaging has taken the pear packaging industry in its stride. The falling demand of canned pear had been the concern of pear industry and therefore growers, the state and retailers came together under the Nexus Project, to go from plastic or glass packaging to aseptic packaging. In aseptic packaging the packaging will be a combination of the best aspects of paper, plastic, aluminum, to lock out light and air. The pears can be kept un-refrigerated for months.
Nexus Project has been supported by Oregon State University and the aseptic packets were designed and constructed in a separate plant in Oregon and assembled along with the traditional canned pear at Truitt Brothers, in Salem. The Pear packaging plan will definitely support the 350 growers in the Hood River area and 50 in the Medford area. Hopefully, with aseptic packaging, the pear industry in Oregon will not suffer because of the competition from New Zealand, South America and South Africa.
