What is the shelf life of apples and how to increase it?

Apples are healthy and tasty, but only when they are fresh. The harvest harvested in the fall can be enjoyed throughout the winter.

However, not all apples last long. Some varieties last only a few months, so the duration of storage differs from the type of variety, as well as from the nuances of storage.

Read the article about the shelf life of apples (fresh, baked, etc.) of different varieties.

How long are they stored?

The shelf life of apples varies depending on their variety and processing method. Winter fruits stay fresh longer but the summer harvest can also be saved for several months. Much depends on storage conditions and ambient temperature. A lot of useful and important information about storing apples can be found Here.

Winter

Winter varieties at temperatures from 0 to +1 degrees they will remain fresh for 6-8 months. Cellar is the best place to store them.

Basic recommendations:

1. You need to collect fruits from the branches; you should not wait until they start falling to the ground.
2. Before sending for wintering, the fruits are sorted and rotten specimens are removed.
3. The apples are packed into bags with several small holes made in them. You can place them in clean, disinfected boxes and sprinkle them with sawdust, calcined sand or onion peels.
4. The prepared fruits are harvested for the winter.
5. Apples need to be inspected once every 2-3 weeks.

Winter varieties do not have excellent taste immediately after being picked from the tree. They ripen during storage, gaining sweetness and aroma.

Autumn

Autumn apples are harvested according to their actual ripeness. The average duration of their storage at temperatures from 0 to +3 degrees is 3 months. These fruits are juicy, sweet and aromatic.

Autumn apples are not poured into the cellar. They actively emit ethylene gas, which can lead to spoilage of nearby vegetables. Store the harvest in the refrigerator, in the lower compartment, or on loggias.

Tips to help extend the shelf life of autumn fruits:

1. Medium-sized fruits, not broken or crushed, are selected for storage.
2. Each apple is wrapped in parchment or paper napkin and placed close to each other.
3. Harvest the crop for storage in the refrigerator or on a glassed-in balcony.

You cannot remove the stem from autumn apples. Its absence will lead to rapid rotting of the fruit.

How long can dried ones be kept?

Dehydrated apples stored up to 10 months. Dry the fruits in the oven, electric dryer and microwave.

Regardless of how the moisture was removed from them, they have the same storage requirements.

Dried slices require the following conditions:

• access to fresh air;
• dryness;
• purity;
• darkness;
• absence of insects and products with a pronounced odor.

Store dried fruits recommended in a cool room at temperatures up to +10 degrees. The best container for them is a fabric bag.

For storing dehydrated slices you can use cardboard and wooden boxes, wicker baskets lined with wax paper. You can place them in glass jars closed with nylon lids.

Fresh peeled

Peeled fruits are stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 12 hours. They need to be placed under cling film to slow down the oxidation process of the pulp. Additionally, they are sprinkled with lemon juice.

Fruits without skin can be stored in the freezer.

1. Peel and core the fruit.
2. Place whole fruits in a bag and tie it tightly.
3. Turn on the freezer at full power.
4. Place packages on the top shelf.
5. After 2 hours, move the toggle switch that controls the operation of the freezer to its usual position.

Before shock freezing and skinning, apples must be washed. The core of whole fruits is removed with a special knife. If it is not there, use a regular 5 ml syringe, from which the thin base is cut off.

Baked

Baked apples are a delicious and healthy dessert that can be prepared in the oven or microwave. The product has a short shelf life, so it should be eaten immediately.

If necessary, store the fruit in the refrigerator, in a plastic container for no more than a day.. Even if the product does not deteriorate during this time, it will acquire an unpleasant taste.

Standing baked apples drain and wrinkle, so it is better to eat them warm.

Chopped

Cut fruits are eaten immediately. Apples without peel quickly turn dark. If after the feast there are a few uneaten slices left, they can be put in the refrigerator, covering the plate with cling film. They must be consumed within 12 hours.

Sometimes housewives store chopped apples in the freezer. Prepare them as follows:

1. Wash the apples and remove the core. You can leave the skin.
2. Cut the fruits into slices or quarters.
3. Place them in a bag and tie it tightly, expelling excess air.
4. Place in the freezer.

To avoid having to defrost all the apples at once, the preparations should be made small. Read about whether you can store apples in the refrigerator and how to do it correctly. article.

How to extend the shelf life of fruit when storing it for the winter?

Various substances help extend the shelf life of apples. They process whole, uncut fruits so that they do not spoil. It is better to use those compounds that are not harmful to the human body even if accidentally swallowed.

Treatment

Before storing fruits in the cellar, they can be disinfected with the following means:

1. Glycerol. It is applied to a cloth, which is used to wipe the skin of each fruit.
2. Calcium chloride concentration 4%. Fruit holding time is 1 minute.
3. Weak solution of potassium permanganate. They spray the fruits with it and leave them to dry naturally.
4. Propolis alcohol solution. Alcohol and propolis are taken in a ratio of 1:5.
5. Paraffin. They only treat the place where the stalk is attached to the fruit.

Before eating processed fruits, they must be thoroughly washed in hot water. Read about ways to process apples before winter storage Here.

Helpful information

Although apples are not a perishable product, they are The shelf life may be significantly reduced if the following information is not taken into account:

1. The sooner the collected apples are sent to a place of permanent storage, the better.At room temperature they spoil very quickly.
2. You need to carefully place the fruits in containers so that dents do not appear on them.
3. Different varieties of apples are stored separately from each other.
4. Apples absorb foreign odors. This must be taken into account when choosing a storage location.

Conclusion

The shelf life of apples varies depending on their variety and the method of pre-processing. To keep fruits as long as possible, they need to be kept cool. At room temperature they spoil quickly.