Released November 23, 2009
COLUMBIA, Mo. –During holiday meals, apple slices will adorn many dinner tables. The problem is that fresh-cut apples turn an unappealing brown color within minutes.
“There are several ways to prevent browning and add color to holiday meals,” said Michele Warmund, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
“This color change is commonly called enzymatic browning,” she said. The enzyme in this reaction is called polyphenol oxidase.
One common method to slow the reaction is dipping fresh-cut slices in an acidic solution, which deactivates the enzyme.
Ascorbic acid, sold as a powdered product in grocery stores, can be dissolved in water to retard browning, she said.
Cut apples can also be dipped into a solution of lemon or lime juice.
Fruit slices also can be soaked in salted water for 10 seconds or ginger ale for 10 minutes.
Blanching cut apples in boiling water for two minutes and then rinsing in cold water also will denature the enzyme.
“Although these methods slow the browning, they also impart off-flavors to the apples,” she said.
To avoid off-flavored cut apples, keep in mind that certain varieties are less prone to browning.
Cortland and Granny Smith are naturally low-browning cultivars. Golden Delicious is an intermediate when it comes to browning. Red Delicious is listed as high-browning.
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http://extension.missouri.edu/news/DisplayStory.aspx?N=602
Source: Michele R. Warmund, 573-882-9632
Contact: Robert E. Thomas, 573-882-2480, thomasr@missouri.edu
