Many fruits, including peaches, reach maturity while still hard, several days before they ripen. Harvesting fruit at proper maturity and storing it under proper conditions can be just as important as a good spray program. Immature fruit lacks characteristic flavor and texture, while over-ripe fruit is usually mealy with rapid tissue breakdown and does not hold up in storage. Besides fruit maturity, other important points to consider are proper handling and storage. Discard any diseased or bruised fruit or use it immediately.
Proper storage is a real key to maintaining fruit quality.
Fully ripe fruits store best at refrigerator temperatures.