Missouri Apple Buying and Storing

Keeping the Apple Crunch.....Storage and Buying Tips

  • In the bag . . . if you buy apples in a plastic bag, which helps retain the juiciness of the apples, leave them there. Then store the bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Cool air between 32-40 degrees F prevents apples from losing their crunch and spoilage. Apples ripen ten times faster at room temperature than when refrigerated. Cool air helps prevent decay and helps maintain quality, juiciness, and crispness.

  • One bad apple . . . undetected - can spoil the bunch. That's why it's important to sort and use apples with defects immediately. Only perfect apples, free of bruise and decay, should be kept for later use.

  • How cool is too cool . . . apples store best at 32-40 degrees F. and can be ruined if frozen. For this reason, don't store them too near your freezer compartment. If you're storing apples in your cellar or garage, protect them with a blanket or cardboard box when the temperature drops below freezing.

  • Cheaper by the bushel . . . generally, large quantity buying (by half or full bushels) is more economical than buying only a few - assuming you have a suitable place to store the extra apples. Although the refrigerator is the ideal storage place, you can keep apples in a cool cellar, garage, or porch if you so choose. For best results, line the container with plastic to prevent moisture loss.

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    For further information about Missouri Apples contact:
    Dr. Michele R. Warmund, State Fruit Specialist
    1-87 Agriculture Building
    Columbia, MO 65211
    Phone: (573) 882-9632 Fax: (573) 882-1469

    The Missouri Apple site is maintained by the people at AgEBB at the University of Missouri.