Why and how are apples processed for long-term storage?

A rich harvest of apples is a reason to think about how to store and how to process sweet fruits so that they delight you with taste, appearance and nutritional properties for as long as possible.

And for those who buy fruit in the store, information about how mass producers process apples for long-term storage will help them make the right choice of sweet fruits that are safe for health.

Processing methods and means

There are a sufficient number of processing methods that allow you to preserve apples from harvest until spring.

Wax

Wax treatment will help extend shelf life as much as possible.

Algorithm of actions:

1. In a clean container, mix 1 liter of ethyl alcohol and 200 g. wax.
2. Sorted apples (one at a time) are dipped into the warm solution.
3. The fruits are laid out on paper in one layer and left to dry.

Waxed fruits retain their nutritional and flavor properties for eight to ten months. Before eating, apples must be thoroughly brushed under hot water.

Glycerol

Treatment with glycerin perfectly protects apples from premature rotting.

Algorithm of actions:

• select clean, ripe fruits without visible signs of spoilage;
• each apple is carefully wiped with a soft cloth soaked in glycerin;
• It is important not to make sudden movements so as not to damage the delicate peel of the sweet fruit.

Solution of paraffin and stearin in ethyl alcohol

The longest possible storage is ensured by treatment with paraffin or stearin in ethyl alcohol (from eight to ten months).

Algorithm of actions:

1. Paraffin or stearin is dissolved in alcohol.
2. The sorted apples are immersed in the resulting liquid one at a time, and then left on the table to dry.
3. When the paraffin has hardened, the fruit can be placed in boxes for storage.

Paraffin does not cause allergies, but before eating, apples should be doused with boiling water to get rid of the dense, protective layer.

Calcium chloride and potassium permanganate

Saturating the fruits with a solution of calcium chloride will help increase the shelf life.

Algorithm of actions:

• 400 grams of calcium chloride are dissolved in 10 liters of water;
• sorted apples in bulk or in a net are immersed in the solution for 30-60 seconds;
• the processed fruits are laid out in one layer to dry.

An alternative to calcium chloride can be a solution of potassium permanganate (simply potassium permanganate).

Algorithm of actions:

1. 5 grams of potassium permanganate are dissolved in 10 liters of clean water.
2. The resulting liquid is sprayed onto the sorted apples from all sides.
3. After the peel has dried, the fruit is sent for storage.

After treatment with calcium chloride or potassium permanganate, apples retain their taste, juiciness and peel color for four to six months.Before eating, rinse the fruit thoroughly under running water.

Denefil

Treatment with denefil helps preserve fruits from damage by bacteria, mold and yeast, significantly increasing shelf life.

Algorithm of actions:

• sorted apples are laid out on a horizontal surface in one layer;
• by spraying, the fruits are coated with denefil.

Denefil is a product of petroleum refining, carbon slows down the processes of decay. This is a very strong carcinogen that can provoke severe allergic reactions. Accumulating in the body, denefil can cause the development of cancer pathologies.

Simply washing off denefil from sweet fruits will not work. Alkaline soap and hot water will help neutralize the negative effects of denefil on the body. Ideally, it is better to peel off the glossy peel with a knife.

What is the best way to treat it at home?

For home processing it is best to use:

1. Bathing in a baking soda solution. To prepare the solution, dissolve 500 grams of dry soda powder in 10 liters of clean water. Sorted apples are immersed in the resulting product and kept for five to ten minutes.

   Afterwards, the fruits are taken out, laid out on the table to dry, and then packed dry into boxes for further storage.

2. Treatment with a solution of potato starch. In order to preserve apples from rotting for a long time, each fruit is dipped in a solution of potato starch (2 teaspoons of starch, 8 drops of iodine and 2 grams of salt are diluted in 250 ml of water).

   After processing, apples must be dried. The thinnest film that appears after the potato solution dries on the peel will protect the sweet fruit from spoilage for a long time.

3. Propolis alcohol solution. To prepare it, grated propolis is mixed with alcohol (proportion 1:5). Sorted apples are dropped into the resulting mixture. Natural wax envelops the fruit, preserving it from premature spoilage.
4. Ultraviolet treatment. Everything is very simple: apples are laid out in one layer on a horizontal surface, then treated at a distance of a meter with a bactericidal ultraviolet lamp. Processing lasts at least half an hour.

   During the process, the fruits must be rotated so that the ultraviolet treatment is uniform. As practice shows, this method helps keep apples fresh throughout the winter.

5. Carbon dioxide treatment. Pre-sorted fruits are placed in a bag, into which carbon dioxide is slowly pumped in using a siphon. After processing, the package must be carefully closed. In a bag of carbon dioxide, sweet fruits remain fresh for up to five months.

How to wash off the coating before eating?

Before eating, apples from your own garden can simply be washed with a brush under hot water. For store-bought fruit, a different cleaning technique is used to remove the top protective layer.

Algorithm of actions:

1. The apples are placed in a deep bowl and filled with hot water. In this form, the fruit should stand for at least five minutes. Similar actions will get rid of a thin waxy coating.
2. Additionally, the fruits are covered with a mixture of lemon juice and soda (1:1 ratio) and filled with water. After ten minutes, each apple is wiped with a soft brush or sponge.

If you are not sure that the manipulations performed will thoroughly clean the fruit from processing, the peel must be cut off with a sharp knife.

Alternative

Preserve the taste and nutritional value of apples at home without processing It is possible, subject to certain rules:

1. Only sorted for long-term storage winter varieties of apples. The fruits must be ripe, with thick skin, without signs of rotting.
2. Long-term storage at home is possible only in a room where the temperature is maintained at +1-5C, humidity from 85%. For private houses, such a room can be a basement or garage, in an apartment building - an insulated loggia.
3. Preserving apples without processing will help by wrapping each fruit in paper, sprinkling it with sawdust, shavings, sand when laying it, or packaging it in a plastic bag (fruits are packaged in quantities of no more than 2 kg, holes are made in the walls of the bag for ventilation).

Adviсe

It is important to adhere to the following tips:

1. A knife will help determine whether the fruit has been treated with paraffin. Just carefully scrape the peel with a knife and thin white shavings will appear under the blade.
2. To protect apples from rotting for a long time, wax paper or an oiled napkin is ideal.
3. Wax is the best option for processing fruits with very thin skin and sweet, juicy pulp.
4. When offering an apple to a child, it is better to peel the peel with a knife.
5. Buying seasonal apples from a domestic producer significantly reduces the risk of allergic reactions caused by chemical treatment of fruits.
6. A quick way to protect apples from spoilage is to treat them with ready-made biofungicide preparations.

Useful information about storing apples is presented in this section.

Conclusion

Using any of the described methods for processing apples for long-term storage in practice, you can enjoy tasty and ripe fruits for as long as possible.