On some special occasions, I always receive many apples as gifts from guests. There are too many to finish, and I'm afraid they will spoil if left for too long. So, how can apples be stored to prevent them from going bad?
Apples stored at room temperature show significant changes in nutritional components after 7-15 days. On the 15th day, the peel becomes wrinkled and the texture softens. By the 30th day, brown spots appear on the flesh. The weight loss rate increases significantly after 7 days, and by the 15th day, the vitamin C content is reduced by 50% and the nitrite content increases markedly. In contrast, apples stored in a refrigerator only begin to show more noticeable changes after 30 days. For example, softening is observed only after 30 days, wrinkling of the peel appears after 60 days, and there is a 30% loss of vitamin C.
Furthermore, over the same storage period, the weight loss rate, the increase in nitrite content, and the decrease in vitamin C content of apples stored in a refrigerator are significantly lower than those of apples stored at room temperature. This may be because at room temperature, the respiration of the apple consumes its own water and nutrients, and due to the onset of spoilage, the nitrite content increases. In contrast, during low-temperature storage, the apple's respiration rate slows down, ethylene release is reduced, and therefore, the consumption of its own nutrients and water is less than at room temperature, and spoilage also occurs later.
Lab recommendation: The suitable storage period for apples at room temperature is within 15 days, and for refrigerated apples, it is within 30 days. If you buy a large quantity at once and can't finish them in the short term, it's best to store them in the refrigerator.
How to store apples so they don't spoil? Netizens recommend good methods for storing apples:
First, select mature apples without any mechanical damage. Soak them in a 3% salt solution for 6 minutes, then take them out to air-dry. Next, wrap each apple in a soft white paper and store them using one of the following two methods:
1. Water Jar Storage Method: First, clean and dry a water jar and place it in a cool, shaded area. Place a canning jar filled with clean water at the bottom of the jar, but do not cover it. In the early morning when the temperature is low, place the wrapped apples into the jar layer by layer. After it's full, seal the jar's opening with a plastic sheet. This storage method can keep apples for up to 5 months with a good fruit rate of over 90%.
2. Wooden Box Storage Method: Place several layers of paper at the bottom and around the inside of a wooden box. Put the wrapped apples into small plastic bags, 10 apples per bag. In the early morning when the temperature is low, place the bags of apples into the box, two bags squeezed together mouth-to-mouth, layer by layer until the box is full. Cover the top with several layers of paper, then seal the box and place it in a cool, shaded area. This storage method can generally keep apples for up to 6 months.