Michigan State University issues guidance on processing, storing and using cherries

Press review

30 Aug 2023

7190

Michigan State University has released a guide entirely dedicated to the processing, storage and use of cherries. This allows not only farmers, but also fruit enthusiasts, to be able to process and utilise a delicate and delicious fruit such as the cherry in the best possible way

Food Safety and Storage

Select cherries that are not bruised or damaged.
Wash hands before and after handling fresh produce.
Wash cherries thoroughly under cool running Do not use soap.
Store cherries in the refrigerator at or below 41 °F.
Keep cherries away from raw meats and meat juice to prevent cross-contamination.
For best quality and nutritive value, preserve only what your family can consume in 12 months.

Yield

1 pint =	1¼ pound
1 quart =	2½ pounds
1 lug =	25 pounds or 8 to 12 quarts of canned cherries
1 pound (unpitted) cherries =	1¾ cups pitted

How To Preserve

Freezing

Freeze pitted or unpitted cherries. If cherries are pitted, add ½ teaspoon of ascorbic acid to each quart of syrup used to prevent discoloration, or use a commercial ascorbic acid mixture and use according to label directions.

Tart cherries:

Select bright red, tree-ripened fruit. Stem, sort and wash thoroughly. Drain and pit. Pack using one of the following methods:

Syrup pack method: This is the best method to use for serving cherries uncooked. Pack cherries into containers and cover with cold medium or heavy syrup depending on the tartness of the cherries (see “Syrups for Use in Freezing Fruits” table that follows). Leave ½- to 1½-inch headspace depending on container Seal, label, date and freeze.
Sugar pack method: This is preferable for cherries to be used for pies or other cooked products. To 1 quart of cherries, add ¾ cup sugar. Mix until sugar dissolves. Pack into containers, leaving ½- to 1½- inch headspace depending on container. Seal, label, date and freeze.
Pectin pack method: This alternative uses pectin and less sugar than the syrup pack and retains the fresh cherry flavor, color and texture. In a saucepan, combine 1 box of powdered pectin (1¾ ounces) with 1 cup Stir and boil 1 minute. Stir in ½ cup sugar and dissolve. Remove the pan from heat; add cold water to make 2 cups of syrup. Chill. Put cleaned and prepared fruit in a 4- to 6-quart bowl; add enough pectin syrup to glaze the fruit with a thin film. Gently fold fruit to coat each piece with syrup. Pack into freezer containers, leaving ½- to 1½-inch headspace depending on container type. Seal, label, date and freeze.

Sweet cherries:

Pack cherries into containers and cover with cold syrup choosing your preference from the table “Syrups for Use in Freezing Fruits” that follows. For a better quality product add ½ teaspoon (1500 mg) ascorbic acid to each quart syrup. Leave ½- to 1½-inch headspace depending on container type. Seal, label, date and freeze.

Syrups for Use in Freezing Fruits
Type of syrup	Percent syrup*	Cups of sugar**	Cups of water	Yield of syrup (cups)
Very light	10	½	4	4½ cups
Light	20	1	4	4¾ cups
Medium	30	1¾	4	5 cups
Heavy	40	2¾	4	51/3 cups
Very heavy	50	4	4	6 cups
Approximate In general, up to one-fourth of the sugar may be replaced by corn syrup or mild-flavored honey. A larger proportion of corn syrup may be used if a very bland, light-colored type is selected. The “Syrups for Use in Freezing Fruits” table is adapted from the National Center for Home Food Preservation table of the same name at https://nchfp. uga.edu/how/freeze/syrups.html. That table was extracted from So Easy to* Preserve, 6th ed., 2014, Bulletin 989, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia. Revised by E. L. Andress and J.A. Harrison.

Read the full article: Michigan State University

To download the full report click here.

Cherry Times - All rights reserved

What to read next

Washington Hort Show: technical days on cherries, technology and the new Smart Orchard project

Events

13 Jan 2025

The project is housed in a 30-acre orchard planted by NWFM, a company known for its early technology adoption. The project involves research trials conducted by Washington State University and has three years of funding from the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.

X-disease threat lower in Oregon: leafhoppers less effective than in Washington

Crop protection

09 Jun 2025

In Oregon, X-disease has had a milder impact on cherry crops thanks to the dominance of a less efficient leafhopper vector. Unlike in Washington, local growers have removed fewer trees and now focus more on other issues like tomato ringspot virus and pest pressure.

In evidenza

A new algorithm to improve the automatic detection of cherry cracking on sorting lines

Tech management

04 Nov 2026

YOLO-CY detects sweet cherry cracks with high accuracy and speed. Tested on 3,662 images, the model achieved 94.88% mAP50 and processed 125 frames per second. Further validation across varieties, sorting lines and operating conditions is still needed before rollout.

From Cherry Freedom to everyday enjoyment: how Chinese consumer habits are changing

Consumption