There are a variety of apples available at the supermarket or farmers' market, whether you favour Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Golden varieties. Regardless of the variety, the perfect apple should be juicy, crisp, sweet, and even a little sour. But how long will that condition persist once you bring it home? Learn about the best ways to store apples and how to keep them as fresh as possible, including whether or not to put them in the refrigerator.
Storage Tips
Apples, along with other pome fruits like pears and quince, should typically be stored in a cool, dry, shady area. The ideal location to store apples will vary depending on your personal environmental factors (such as how warm or humid your home is), the length of time you plan to keep the apples in storage, and the location and method used to store other veggies. For instance, if you have a place with a low temperature, apples can keep there for up to ten months.
Refrigerate or Not?
Your refrigerator's crisper drawer is a fantastic spot to keep apples if you want to extend their shelf life. They can be kept in a refrigerator for six to eight weeks. Even for shorter periods of time, the refrigerator is the best place to store apples if your room temperature is on the warm side. However, they won't go bad right away if you don't put them in the refrigerator; they can stay out on the counter for up to two weeks.
Away From Other Fruits
When apples are bruised or overripe, they release the gaseous hormone ethylene, which accelerates the ripening of other fruits and vegetables. Apples should be kept in their own produce drawer or in the refrigerator in a plastic tub or bag if you don't want to stimulate the ripening of other produce. On the counter, they can be kept separate from other fruits in a bowl or in a paper bag.
Remove The Bad Ones
In order to prevent the remaining apples from going bad, make sure to remove damaged ones or consume apples with bruises and blemishes right away. Keep monitoring your apples if you are storing a lot of them together because one poor apple will also damage the rest.
Shelf Life
Apples from the store have already been transported and stored. They can remain fresh for months after being picked if they are stored in cold storage. But after you buy them, they'll keep for a week outside the fridge and six to eight weeks inside.
Eat apples right away after they have been chopped. The chopped apples should be placed in the refrigerator as soon as possible if you plan to consume them later. And to stop them from browning, wrap them tightly in plastic and eat them right away. Alternately, apply lemon juice to them.
