Sometimes when I buy peaches and bring them home, they have little flavor, are too hard, they don't seem to ripen properly and are mealy in texture. What might cause this?

Answer: One possibility is improper temperature management after harvest. Some peach cultivars are sensitive to "chilling injury".  Storage of sensitive cultivars at 36-50 degrees Fahrenheit can predispose them to this problem.  Dr. Carlos Crisosto, UC-Davis post harvest physiologist, is an expert in chilling injury of stone fruits.   A helpful article that interviews him and speaks to this topic can be found at this link: http://www.goodfruit.com/Good-Fruit-Grower/October-2008/Soft-fruit-killing-zone/

Learn more:

Read the technical research article: Chilling injury in peach and nectarine