Good Question: Should Apples Be Refrigerated?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For most Minnesotans, fall means a trip to the apple orchard.
So, Kim from Baxter wants to know: Should you refrigerate your apples?
Google this question and the answers are all over the place -- some experts say don't, while others say do.
"Fair question, I guess there are several answers," says David Bedford, a University of Minnesota apple breeder. He and his team bred the famed Honeycrisp and the U's newest apple -- First Kiss.
He says someone must ask themselves what are they looking for in their apples?
"If you're looking at longevity, there's no question," he says.
Apples that are refrigerated last five to six times longer than apples that are stored at room temperature. For some varieties, that's three to four weeks. For the Honeycrisp, it's up to nine months.
But when it comes to flavor, Bedford says room temperature would be best because the cold can inhibit the flavors. It's as if the components of the apple are moving in slow motion.
"Those volatile compounds that give up the flavor and smell are kind of locked up and not moving very well," Bedford said.
And, finally, when it comes to crispness, colder is better.
Ultimately, it depends on the individual -- there is no right or wrong answer. Bedford suggests keeping the apples stored in the fridge to preserve them, then taking one out about an hour before eating it.
