There are a lot of things happen around you that easily can make you annoyed. Those things have been happening since your early ages. No matter how much bigger or smaller the things are but once the things are started going against your need or wish you may easily get annoyed or disturbed. One such thing that can make you much annoyed when a freshly sliced apple turns brown within a few minutes. If you’re cutting or chopping apple pieces for the party at your place or you want to pack it for lunch and the things turn brown so that nobody likes to have it, then surely this would not be an amusing situation for you.
Before looking out the solution to come out from this embarrassing situation, at first you need to know the reason behind this. Let’s find out.
The Reason for Browning of Apple
There is an enzymatic process for the browning of apple. When you cut the apple and expose it to the oxygen in the open air, an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase which is extensively found in apple hastens the oxidation of the iron present in the apple and makes them ‘rust’. In this way, you’ll find a brown layer on the sliced pieces of apple. It gives a rotten-look of the apple and persons seen reluctant to have it.
How to Keep Apple Slices from Turning Brown
After knowing the reason now you have to learn the possible and convenient ways to prevent your apple from turning brown. There are some ways that may keep your apple fresh for almost 6-8 hours and also some other ways that may amazingly keep the freshness of your apple for at least 24 hours. Follow me.
Using Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is one of the effective preservatives to keep the proper condition of fruit for a longer time. The presence of citric acid helps lemon to prevent oxidation of cut fruits and allow them to look fresh for a longer time.
Since it can make the fruit sour, you can dip the apple into lemon water for at least 5 minutes instead of using lemon juice directly on the fruits.
After that, you can store them in an airtight container. This can keep your apple slices fresh for almost 24 hours.
Dipping into Salt Water
Salt is a well-known preservative that is used to keep fresh various fruits and veggies. This works effectively to keep your apple from turning brown. The sodium chloride restricts the oxidation process in the cells of an open area of the apple and prevents browning. Besides, it also helps to sustain the flavor of the fruit, even keep them crispy.
All you can take 2 cups of fresh water and add a ¼ teaspoon of salt into it. Now dip the apple slices into the salt water and let the slices be there for at least for 5 minutes.
Then retrieve the slices and keep them in an airtight container. This may keep the slices stay intact up to 24 hours. You need to rinse them with fresh water before use to reduce the salty flavor from the pieces.
Soaking with Carbonated Drinks
Carbonated drinks or plain soda are also being useful to save your apple from turning brown. Lemon-lime soda or ginger ale is the two very common items which can be used to dip your cut apples.
In this process, you have to place the sliced apples in a bowl and then pour the carbonated drink over them. Let the submerged fruit slices soak for at least for 10 minutes.
Then drain out the liquid and rinse the slices. Your fruit pieces will remain fresh for 6-8 hours.
Applying Citric Acid Powder
Citric acid powder commonly known as Fruit-Fresh is also coming for your help to prevent the apple slices from turning brown. This product increases the acidity of the apple hold the oxidation process so that your apple remains fresh for a longer period.
All you need to take a cup of cold water and add 1 teaspoon of citric acid powder. Now dip your apple slices into the solution for 5 minutes. If some of the slices float on, push them down with a spoon.
After that, collect all the pieces and keep them in an airtight container. The slices will be fresh for at least 4-5 hours.
Adding Vitamin C Tablets
Vitamin C tablets are the tested things that can be helpful for delaying the apple from turning brown. The layer of Vitamin C on the fruit makes a cover which doesn’t allow the oxygen to come in contact with the enzymes in the fruit. It prevents oxidation that leads to browning.
All you need to pour a cup of cold water into a glass and add 1 crushed Vitamin C tablet to it and stir well. Now take the pieces of apple in a bowl and pour the mixture over them.
Let the slices be there for 5 minutes. Finally, remove them and keep them in an airtight container.
Using Cold Water
This is for those who do not want to compromise with the taste of the apple at all. Cold water also follows the same way to give you a decent result. The cold water forms a protective layer over the damaged cells of cut apples and prevents the exposure that makes the fruit that makes the browning. Even the cold water shrinks the damaged cells to reduce the chances oxidation that leads to ‘rust’.
To make this possible, you have to take a bowl of cold water and dip the slices of apples into it and let them soak for 5 minutes. Then take them out of the water and keep in an airtight container.
Covering with Plastic Bag
This is probably the easiest way to save your slice apples from browning. You have to place your cut apples in a plastic bag and in this way you can keep the air away from the cut apples. This helps to prevent the apple slices from oxidization. Following this, you need to wrap the plastic around the apple tightly so that no air remains inside the plastic wrap.
Conclusion
None of these methods discussed here can provide the permanent solution of browning apple. All the methods may last for an hour or a day max. Therefore, if you want to keep the apple slices fresh to prepare some kind of dishes, avoid cutting them too early. Only then you can get the best result out of it.
John DiBella is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, a cooking enthuthiast and a writer. When he’s not writing blogs about home kitchenware, he enjoys hiking, camping, sailing and cooking.
Dried apple slices make for a great, healthy snack and can also be used in wreaths or added to potpourri to add fragrance. Dried apple slices can also be frozen for later use.
Thank you for the post, I love your ideas.