Coring is the processing step in which the tough central part of fruits or vegetables, such as the core of an apple or pear containing seeds and fibrous tissue, is removed, most often using purpose-built corers. The operation improves eating quality and appearance and is a standard preparation stage in canning, pie filling, and fresh-cut fruit production. In industrial lines coring is performed by automated machines that must be kept sharp and sanitized: dull blades bruise tissue and accelerate browning, while poor hygiene turns the equipment into a vector for microbial cross-contamination.