Sometimes fruits are treated with chemicals to keep them longer. You look at grapes or apples, and indeed: sometimes the fruits are sticky to the touch, sometimes they shine unnaturally. Fuels the anxiety and the fact that on sale and special detergents appeared - they are designed to clean the surface of the fetus from harmful substances. Anatoly Krivorot, Deputy Director for Research at the Institute of Fruit Growing of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, told GO.TUT.BY about the “chemistry” on the surface of fruits.
Anatoly Krivorot, candidate of agricultural sciences. Photo: Elena Kleshenok, TUT.BY
Are all fruits treated with "chemistry"?
- No. We have such a risk when we buy imported fruits. The farther from us the country where the fruit grew, the more processing it probably went through. After all, the fruits must be guaranteed to be protected: from drying out and withering, from fungal diseases, from damage by insects. The manufacturer is arming himself in every possible way in order to preserve the marketable appearance of the fetus as much as possible.
— Are Belarusian apples treated with chemicals?
- I am 99.9% sure: no, they are not being processed. For a simple reason: our manufacturer does not have enough funds to implement such technologies. Our apples are sold out before the New Year. Until spring sales, as a rule, those that are stored in modern refrigerators with a controlled gas environment (we have few of them) survive.
The controlled gas environment is the same gases as in normal atmospheric air. But their concentration makes it possible to reduce the oxidation processes in fruits: there is more nitrogen and carbon dioxide, and less oxygen.
How oranges, dried fruits and grapes are processed and how to buy safe
- If the fruit is washed before consumption, is the harm from protective chemistry very conditional?
- Not always. For example, one of the most dangerous substances - diphenyl(included in the category food additives under the symbol E-230, banned in many countries); inhibits the action of all types of fungi, but it is difficult to wash it off from the surface of the fetus even hot water with soap. It has been proven that diphenyl is able to penetrate the fruit and remain there. Very often they process citrus fruits.
Then appearance fruit does not change, but they become sticky to the touch. Of course, citrus fruits have a dense peel, and before eating an orange, it is peeled. So the risk of harmful effects is reduced. But it is not excluded! Do all of us wash our hands with soap after peeling an orange?
And if an apple is treated with diphenyl, it may be completely saturated with this substance. And, by and large, you eat an antifungal along with fruit.
Relatively dangerous processing sulfur oxide.
This is a powerful allergen; when bound with other elements, it forms sulfides, and those cause a hypersensitivity reaction up to asthma attacks. In addition, sulfur oxide can destroy vitamin B1. But if an empty fruit storage is fumigated for disinfection, with strict adherence to concentration, and then carefully ventilated, harmful effect fruit is practically excluded.
If the fruit itself is processed, it will have a sulfuric smell. It is safer to peel it - if possible.
Dried fruits are also treated with sulfur oxide. They then have a glossy, very presentable appearance and are stored for a long time. Only they need to be washed in running water, and then be sure to soak for an hour or two in water. room temperature.
Plums and grapes can be processed chlorine gas. It can be recognized by its characteristic "hospital" smell and a whitish coating in the stalk area. Such fruits should be washed thoroughly and for a long time in running water, preferably each berry. If whitish stains remain after washing, it means that the salts of the substances used have managed to penetrate deep into the fetus. It's better not to eat at all.
Imported berries - raspberries, strawberries and cherries - can also be fumigated with chlorine and other antifungal agents. In raspberries, it is difficult to recognize the chemical method of processing in appearance: a bluish coating, which is often mistaken for a sign of chlorine, is completely natural for this berry. But the smell is your true guide.
- What about waxing? Wax does not smell, how to determine it?
- Compared to antifungal agents, waxing does not pose a big security problem. But it matters what kind of wax is used and whether something else was used in addition to it. All-natural beeswax or palm wax is completely harmless, but it is expensive. More often used artificial wax, which is produced from oil refining waste. The substance does not penetrate into the pulp, but to remove it from the surface of the fruit, you need to wash the fruit with hot water and then wipe it well with a towel.
There is one nuance here. Some fruits produce their own natural wax. Some varieties of apples grown in northern and temperate latitudes, including Belarusian ones, have this property. And southern apples have a rough surface. Therefore, if you see an apple from Italy with a characteristic “mastic” coating on the counter, it is processed with wax. But if Polish looks the same, it may not be processed in any way.
Why apples can ripen but bananas can't
- Hasn't science been able to find non-toxic and effective substances to process berries and fruits?
- They are. For example, 1-methylcyclopropene. This substance is synthesized, but on chemical composition the fetus does not affect, only controls its "physiology". It is used for fruits and vegetables that ripen after harvest: apples, plums, tomatoes, melons, peaches, apricots - thanks to the ethylene they produce. It is ethylene that “starts” all the ripening processes after the fruit is removed from the branch. And 1-methylcyclopropene allows you to "turn off" this mechanism during transportation and storage. The fruits seem to be sleeping. When the time comes to sell the products, the fruits are removed from the chambers and the ripening process resumes, while the substance itself does not remain in the fruits. Our institute has confirmed the safety of this substance through testing.
There is an American and Russian analogue of such technology. Russian is the only technology that extends the shelf life, which is allowed in our country. Unfortunately, our manufacturers make little use of it for economic reasons.
- Green imported bananas also ripen thanks to 1-methylcyclopropene and are equivalent to ripe ones?
— No, these are two opposite technologies. Bananas do not produce ethylene themselves. They are removed unripe, when they did not have time to gain vitamins, healthy sugars and minerals, and these processes stop in them. Ripening in artificial conditions allows you to achieve a "ripened" appearance, but inside there will not be as many vitamins and other nutrients as a ripe fruit. Therefore, we often buy yellow bananas, and they turn out to taste like soap with soap.
Photo: pixabay.com. Photo is illustrative For comparison: apples of late varieties, which produce their own natural ethylene, not only ripen without loss of nutritional value but they get better with time.
“A very large fruit is inferior in usefulness to a medium-sized fruit”
— To the common man It is difficult to understand all these intricacies. The maximum that he can: ask the seller how the fruit was stored.
And he won't even know! It is difficult to check how the fruits were stored and how they were processed before transportation - information about all storage technologies is usually not indicated in the accompanying documents.
The average consumer should follow simple rules. First: if outwardly the fruits look suspicious (sticky, coated), then it is safer to refuse to buy. If you have already bought, then cut off the peel. Second: Wash fruits thoroughly.
By the way, do not chase large fruits: large ones have fewer vitamins and other nutrients per unit volume. Simply put, by acquiring large fruits, we pay for water. Best apples- no more than eight cm in diameter.
Well, and most importantly, the third - give preference to seasonal products of domestic production or fruits brought from neighboring countries. And even better - grow your own in personal plots.
What about special products for washing fruits and vegetables? Will not help to remove all questionable substances?
- Not always. The fact is that such products are produced on the basis of alcohols or alkalis, and this is also a chemical agent. Artificial wax, for example, it will successfully help to remove. And if with alkali on natural wax - what's the point? It is not yet known which is more harmful.
— Do you buy imported fruits yourself?
- Of those that grow in Belarus - very rarely, only when ours are not. I eat what I myself grow in the country. Now I have a horticultural dilemma: treat apple trees with chemicals against aphids, which are very active this year due to hot and dry weather, or wait for sanitary pruning of branches.
As you know, best and longest apples are kept fresh in a cool cellar. But not all summer residents have cellars and garage pits, and, having harvested the fruits of paradise in the fall, many take them to their city apartments, intending to keep them fresh for as long as possible.
We invite you to get acquainted with the most popular and some non-traditional ways of storing apples in an apartment or on a balcony.
Basic rules for storing apples
Each vegetable or fruit has its own “ten commandments” for proper storage. Apples are no exception. No matter how carefully you choose a place and prepare a container, this fruit will not lie for a long time if you do not follow the basic rules.
Rule One. Select for long-term storage only winter varieties apples. If you want to enjoy fresh apples all winter and spring, winter apples with thick skins and a natural waxy coating are your favorite. Such varieties can keep fresh for 5-8 months. Autumn varieties, in principle, are also suitable for storage, but not longer than a couple of months. Summer early varieties of apples will not last more than two weeks even in the refrigerator.
Rule Two. Do not transfer containers with apples from a warm room to a cold one and vice versa. Apples do not like large temperature changes. If you first put a box of apples in the corridor, and a month later decided to take it out to a cool balcony, expect an increase in the number of spoiled specimens.
Rule Three. Be careful when harvesting. Pluck the apples along with the stalks and carefully place them in boxes, boxes or buckets, trying to damage the wax coating as little as possible. winter apples it is recommended to collect a little unripe, so that they then keep up during storage.
Rule Four. Keep apples separate from other fruits and vegetables whenever possible. It's no secret that apples contribute to the rapid ripening of all fruits and vegetables that are adjacent to them "on the shelf." Ethylene is to blame, which during storage, the fruits of the apple tree are released in large quantities. Vegetables and fruits stored next to apples quickly overripe and begin to spoil. And the apples themselves from such a “neighborhood” lose their juiciness and become mealy.
Ways to store apples in an apartment
The best place to store apples in a city apartment has always been and remains a glazed balcony or loggia. Because apples require coolness, the ideal storage temperature for them is between -2°C and +5°C. If there is no balcony, you can keep a container of apples on the windowsill with an open window, in the pantry or in the hallway.
Popular ways to store apples:
Method one. Storage of apples in a thermo-box.
This option is perhaps the most optimal for storing apples on the balcony in winter.
Even if the balcony is glazed, there is never a complete certainty that the positive temperature is always maintained there. And an easy-to-make thermobox will help protect the crop from unwanted frosts.To make it, you will need: two boxes (one more, the other less), thick foam and any available insulation (sawdust, shavings, rags, foam balls, polyurethane foam). The smaller box just needs to be placed inside the larger one. It is desirable that there is a gap of about 15 centimeters between the walls of the two boxes. A thick foam is placed at the bottom of a small box, then the fruits are carefully laid out, closed and the foam is again placed on top. And the free space between the two boxes is filled with insulation. Then close the outer box. If necessary, you can cover a large box with an old blanket on top.
One of the disadvantages of this option is the inaccessibility of apples. Every time you want an apple, you need to open the lids of the boxes, remove the foam plastic ... but fruits in such a shelter are not afraid of any frost.
Method two. Storage of apples in paper.
The most popular and widely used way to store apples is in plastic, wooden or cardboard boxes, after wrapping each apple in paper.
Someone uses old newspapers as a “wrapper”, someone is afraid of newspaper paint and wraps fruits in clean paper or paper towels. This option works great when the harvest is small and literally every apple counts.Method three. Storage of apples in polyethylene.
For this purpose, cling film, or small bags, or large plastic bags are used.1. cling film lay on the bottom of the box in two layers crosswise so that the edges hang down. Carefully fill the box with apples, and then close the top with the edges of the film like an envelope.
2. Apples without any packaging are taken out to a cool room for a couple of hours, after which each is placed in an individual plastic bag and tied tightly.
Then bags of apples are placed in any convenient container and taken out to the balcony.3. In tight plastic bag apples are folded, a piece of cotton wool soaked in alcohol or vinegar is also placed there. The bag is tied so that air does not penetrate inside. All methods of storing apples in bags are based on the principle of effective concentration of carbon dioxide. Since apples remain “alive” for a long time, that is, they breathe and emit carbon dioxide, after a while the optimal concentration of carbon dioxide is established in a hermetically tied bag, which makes it possible to slow down the metabolic processes in fruits, thereby increasing their shelf life. By the way, apples packed in polyethylene can then be folded into a large travel suitcase, closed and put in a cool place.
Processing apples before storage
There are several options for surface treatment of apples before laying for long-term storage, but they are not suitable for everyone. For they suggest smearing, dipping, soaking and even irradiating apples with ultraviolet light. Not every gardener will decide on such experiments, but ... what if there are daredevils?
1. Before laying in prepared containers, apples are smeared with glycerin.
2. Each apple is dipped for a couple of seconds in an alcohol solution of propolis (100 grams of propolis per 0.5 liter of alcohol), and then dried.
3. Apples are kept for a minute in a 2% solution of calcium chloride (sold in pharmacies).
4. Before storage, each apple can be dipped in a 5% solution of salicylic acid.
5. Apples are immersed in melted paraffin or beeswax, and after drying, they are stored in boxes with sawdust.
6. To prevent putrefactive diseases, apples laid out in one layer should be kept under a bactericidal ultraviolet lamp at a distance of 1.5 meters for half an hour. Then turn over and irradiate the other side.
The lack of a cellar for storing crops is not a reason to be upset.
Try one of the described ways to store apples on the balcony in the apartment, at worst, just put the fruits in cardboard boxes with holes and wrap them with old blankets or warm clothes on top. For each apple from its garden replaces a package of vitamins.
I invite everyone to speak in
agriculture from all over the world. “But it’s clearly somewhere out there,” we think, “it doesn’t concern us.” And the store shelves beckon with shiny apples, glossy tomatoes and sunny oranges. And we, forgetting about everything in the world, are already bringing to our mouths fresh fruit for immediate tasting. Stop! And wash?
How fruits and vegetables are processed
Not all regions can boast of abundant harvests, and therefore fruits and vegetables are supplied from abroad, especially during the cold season. But organic products do not have a long shelf life, so they are processed for safety during transportation.
- Fruits are coated with paraffin and wax to give them a glossy sheen and increase their shelf life.
- Diphenyl is impregnated with paper in which citrus fruits are wrapped. This petroleum product is considered a carcinogen.
- Fruit is treated with methyl bromide and fungicides to kill pests and.
- Dried fruits are placed in sulfur dioxide to increase the shelf life and give a presentation.
- Pesticides are added at the stage of fruit ripening to get rid of insects and fungi. They are toxic and can accumulate in the human body, causing irreversible effects.
- Nitrates are used to fertilize the soil and accelerate plant growth. They are stored in fruits and other parts of plants. For humans, nitrates are dangerous, and in large doses they are fatal.
Even if you are sure of the origin of the fruit, you should not eat them directly from the branch. There may be particles of earth, the remains of the vital activity of insects, birds or animals.
How to neutralize fruits and vegetables
General rules
Delicate lettuce and prickly cucumber cannot be scrubbed with one brush: each product has its own cleaning subtleties. But there are also standard hygiene rules for everyone:
- Any fruits and vegetables can be washed in cold running water. It advises How does the FDA recommend washing fruits and vegetables? even the FDA food products and medicines in the United States.
- Wash fruits just before eating. During processing, the outer layer is damaged, and the product begins to deteriorate.
How to wash fruits
- We wash glossy and slippery fruits from wax with a brush and soap in cold running water.
- Citrus fruits are recommended to be scalded with boiling water: hot water will not harm their dense skins, but it will neutralize surface preservatives.
Wash even those fruits that you are going to peel before eating. Dirt from the surface can get onto the pulp through your hands.
- The grapes will benefit from a shower. Divide the brush into small clusters for convenience, and dry in a colander after water procedures.
- Wash the pineapple without removing the leaves, with a brush and soap.
- Be especially careful with watermelon and melon: in the process of ripening, they lie directly on the ground.
- If you have, it will be useful to soak any fruit in cold water for an hour.
- Not sure about the origin of purchased fruits? Act for sure: cut off the peel, preferably with a margin.
- Rinse dried fruits in cold water, and then pour over with boiling water to get rid of preservatives, which unscrupulous manufacturers do not skimp on.
How to wash vegetables
- If you find yellow spots under the skin when cutting a cucumber, potato or zucchini, discard this vegetable. These marks speak of elevated content nitrates.
- Remember that the most harmful substances are in the upper and lower parts of the fruit, the upper leaves and the stalk, and the peel. Remove or cut them before use.
- In carrots, additionally remove the core: toxins also accumulate in it.
- Root crops (radishes, turnips, potatoes and others) should be cleaned from the remnants of the earth. To do this, soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes, and then rub well with a brush.
- At onion first cut off the bottom, peel the vegetable from the husk, and then rinse in cold running water.
- White cabbage is usually not washed, but the upper dirty and sluggish leaves are removed and the stalk is cut out.
- Before bathing, go through the cauliflower with a grater or knife to cut off the darkened inflorescences. If there are bugs in the head, soak it in salt water for 10 minutes or in water with vinegar (1 tablespoon per liter of water) for half an hour.
- Salad, parsley, green onion, clean the dill from the roots and withered stems, and then fill cold water a large container and rinse the leaves in it from sand and dust.
How do you wash vegetables and fruits before eating? Are you afraid of nitrates and pesticides? Do you have your own cleansing recipe? Share in the comments.
Every buyer now knows that all fruits and most vegetables are processed with something. And, of course, there are concerns and questions - how safe are the substances that process fruits. So let's find out!
One common substance used to process imported fruits is methyl bromide.
METHYL BROMIDE (METHYL BROMIDE) is an organic fumigant used to treat fruits and vegetables for export to protect them from harmful insects. Fruits treated with methyl bromide have a longer shelf life than untreated fruits. Meanwhile, in case of poisoning with methyl bromide, the lungs, kidneys and nervous system are severely affected, the composition of the blood changes, which often occurs in people working with methyl bromide, when processing fruits, vegetables and grain in warehouses. It is believed that when the fruit reaches the store shelves, there is practically no methyl bromide left and the particles of this substance are washed off the fruit with water. But in fact ... any substances that get on the surface of fruits and grains, one way or another, penetrate into the plant cell. Further, these substances interact with cellular inclusions, the chemical composition of intracellular juice changes. Naturally, the organoleptic characteristics of the fruit (taste and aroma) also change. How deeply these substances penetrate, and whether the peel, for example, a banana or an apple, protects against such penetration, no one investigates. The goal is the same - to increase the shelf life and get more profit.
The use of methyl bromide is prohibited in the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands. The UN recognized methyl bromide as a substance that thins the ozone layer of the earth, and by 2010 all industrialized countries should have phased out the use of it as a fungicide, but they do.
In 2005, it was banned for use on the territory of the Russian Federation. And in 2011 it was again included in the list of permitted, only under a different name - "Metabrom-RFO". In addition to fruits and vegetables, grain is also processed with this substance.
Another serving of chemistry is given to fruits that were picked unripe. Therefore, to bring them to a marketable condition, they are “fumigated” with ethylene.
ETHYLENE (ETENE) is an organic compound, a colorless, flammable gas with a slight odor, the most produced substance in the world. Ethylene is used in the production of polyethylene.
Ethylene gas in small quantities synthesized by plants, is a phytohormone involved in the process of ripening fruits, berries and vegetables, causes the aging of leaves and flowers, the fall of faded inflorescences and ripened fruits.
Industrial ethylene is widely used as an accelerator of fruit ripening in warehouses (tangerines, lemons, oranges, bananas, melons, tomatoes). The amount of ethylene that can be stored on fruit is considered harmless to humans. However, it is worth remembering that ethylene is processed unripe fruit and with the help of it they achieve only decorative, external ripeness.
But inside, such fruits will never have that bouquet of tastes and aromas, as well as useful substances that fruits fully ripened in the sun could acquire.
But what happens to fruits in the sun that cannot happen when treated with ethylene? First of all, this is the transformation of starches into sugars and their accumulation in cell sap. The amount of tannins and acids decreases, the content of vitamins, aromatic and pigment (coloring) substances increases.
As the ripening in natural conditions increases the content of soluble pectin. It is soluble pectin, with the correct collection of fruits, that preserves them, does not allow the cell sap to evaporate quickly. Vegetable pectin is very necessary for our body. It helps to reduce cholesterol and normalize metabolism in the human body.
And another important point occurs during the ripening of fruits in natural conditions - this is the ripening of seeds, from which new fruit plants can be obtained.
The most dangerous of all the chemicals used to increase the shelf life of fruits is biphenyl.
DIPHENIL (BIPHENYL), food preservative E230. Has a strong antibacterial effect. Diphenyl is used to treat the surface of fruits and vegetables to increase shelf life. Preservative E230 prevents the development of bacteria, mold and yeast. Biphenyl is a carcinogen (cancer-causing substance) that accumulates in the body. Negatively affects the respiratory system and eyes, causes allergic reactions.
If the fruits are sticky, then they are treated with biphenyl. You probably noticed that imported fruits are carefully wrapped in a separate beautiful wrapper? So, this wrapper acts as a preservative, since it is usually treated with diphenyl or other fungicides.
Diphenyl is washed off from fruits with special products, soap and hot water. If the peel is removed from bananas and citrus fruits and it is quite dense, then in apples it is too thin, and because of this, it is not able to protect the fruit from the penetration of diphenyl into the pulp. Therefore, sticky apples are better not to buy at all.
SULFUR OXIDE SO2 (E220) is a sulfur dioxide gas, it is colorless, has a strong pungent odor, and is highly soluble in water. Sulfur dioxide is used to treat vegetables, fruits, dried fruits and fresh grapes to increase shelf life. Changes in grapes and dried fruits occur already in the process of treatment with sulfur oxide - just like when treated with any other chemical substances, namely, the chemical composition of cell sap changes, some vitamins and microelements are destroyed. But, since E220 is a gas, after processing, a small amount of sulfites (salts of sulfurous acid) may remain on the surface of dried fruits, while the gas itself escapes. However, sulfites can cause severe allergies in asthmatics. And when ingested, sulfites destroy vitamin B1, which, with prolonged exposure, can cause nervous disorders.
Dried fruits treated with sulfur oxide have a brighter glossy surface. Sometimes from such fruits and dried fruits you can smell a lit match. Unprocessed, on the contrary, have a matte surface, dried fruits are strongly wrinkled and have a flavor characteristic of this fruit.
In order to protect yourself and “defuse the enemy”, it is recommended to soak grapes and dried fruits in water at room temperature for at least 1 hour before use. So sulfites will pass into the water. Then the fruits should be washed well with running water. At the same time, vegetables and fruits are recommended to be washed and peeled well.
PARAFFIN, WAX AND SORBIC ACID. Apples, pears, citrus fruits, peppers are processed with this mixture. Sorbic acid (E 200) - preservative, antibacterial agent. Scientists have found that sorbic acid destroys vitamin B12, which is so necessary for our nervous system. Sorbic acid can cause gastrointestinal disturbances. However, E200 is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Paraffin and wax do not allow moisture to evaporate from fruits and make them "long-lived", more attractive in appearance.
Therefore, "glossy" fruits and vegetables must be washed with hot water with a brush, and best of all - with soap or special products, only in this way it is possible to wash off the mixture of paraffin, wax and sorbic acid from the peel. Or you can peel...
1-METHYLCYCLOPROPENE (patented name SmartFresh - “smart freshness”) is a gas that suppresses the overripeness of fruits and vegetables. The inventors of this gas believe that the processing of fruits and vegetables with scanty doses of SmartFresh no later than 3 days after harvest preserves all nutritional properties for a longer period. Scientists also claim that this substance is harmless to humans. 1-methylcyclopropene is an inhibitor (suppresses the action) of ethylene. And, as we wrote earlier, ethylene is released in small quantities when the fruit ripens.
But here's an interesting point: SmartFresh was previously positioned as a processing tool for preserving cut flowers, and now they are trying to process fruits and vegetables with this “freshness”.
1-methylcyclopropene can be obtained different ways and all methods are a combination of various chemical reagents. Well, for example, in a boiling dioxane medium, 3-chloro-2-methylpropene and lithium amide are combined, or obtained by combining finylium with alichlorides ...
In addition, this gas, as it turned out, is impossible to save. But chemists (that's why they are chemists) have come up with a way to preserve this gas with the help of special sorbents. And, since “smart freshness” is patented and know-how, we probably won’t know how we got this gas anyway? Although I'd love to...)
But there is a safe method of storing fruits and vegetables in a controlled atmosphere using CO2 (carbon dioxide). This is a much more natural and safe component for health. And since fruits are bought most of all by children, the issue of the safety of agricultural products is a matter of the country's future. Therefore, if it uses not fully understood substances that can enter the body of an adult or a child (!), then this is not just negligence, but a deliberate crime. Then you can guess why "fence such a garden" around SmartFresh ...
RGS - controlled gas environment. These are special refrigeration units used in storage for vegetables and fruits. Carbon dioxide CO2 is used as a preservative to suppress ripening (overripe) processes during storage. Fruits and vegetables preserved in this way are no different from freshly picked and retain all useful material and vitamins.
Good advice: Turkey, China, Holland, Israel, more than others, process fruits and vegetables with all kinds of chemicals, especially those products that “go” to Russia. Of course, nothing can replace your own freshly picked fruits and vegetables, but if these are already inaccessible to many, then it is best to buy domestic fruits and vegetables from the countries of the former CIS. Choose products according to the season, because, for example, cucumbers and tomatoes from Uzbekistan in January can only be grown in greenhouses and also not without the use of growth accelerators and fertilizers. Therefore, you should expect from their content more nitrates and minimal benefit. Pay attention to the appearance of products, do not pursue external attractiveness and gloss, you can focus on the aroma (many “chemically” fruits and vegetables do not have their own aroma).
And it happens that strangers hide under the name of “their own”, using the names of farms that have long been closed or never existed. And if you doubt that the sellers are telling the truth about "where the fruit comes from" - you have the right to demand a certificate of conformity or a quality certificate.
If we all become more demanding on the quality of products, and do not allow ourselves to be deceived, then there will be less deception. Be healthy and vigilant!
In order to preserve the crop as much as possible, as well as enjoy the taste, aroma and beneficial properties of apples in winter, you need to take care of this in advance. It is important to choose the right variety, prepare the harvested fruits and create the necessary conditions storage.
This is the first thing you need to pay attention to. Summer varieties of apples are not suitable for storage, autumn varieties will lie for up to two 2 months, but winter ones can lie until spring.
For the purpose of storage over a long period, suitable:
- Antonovka;
- Bogatyr;
- Melba;
- Zhigulevskoe;
- Welsey.
During the harvesting period they are hard and sour, but when proper storage ripen and acquire flavor.
How to store apples for the winter: harvesting
The second condition for long-term storage of fruits is the correct collection. Necessary:
- do it in dry weather;
- do not shake the tree;
- collect, starting from the lower branches;
- pick the fruit along with the stalk;
- do not throw, but carefully fold into a container lined with burlap;
- do not crush or scratch.
It is important to keep the bluish coating, it protects the fruit from harmful microorganisms. To do this, when collecting, you can use cloth gloves. Apples are also recommended to be plucked along with the stalk (without it, they deteriorate faster). This is done like this: the fruit rises a little and scrolls.
If the fruits have fallen, collect them in a separate container. They may look good, but they usually have microorganisms from the soil already on them (may contain bacteria and viruses). It is better to eat them or use them to make juice.
Storage of apples is longer if they are not harvested from too young trees (as young apple trees get sick more often), and from the side of the crown that receives more sun.
Apple processing and room preparation
First of all, you need to sort and process apples, after which you can begin to prepare the premises and containers for storage.
Sorting
Select fruits without damage and worms, sorting. Medium-sized apples store best. Small ones fade faster, so use them in blanks.
Large fruits tend to store less well because they release more ethylene. This gas contributes to the ripening of fruits and vegetables, which leads to spoilage.
Treatment
In order to protect against pests, apples can be greased or dipped in melted wax. Do not wash or dry fruit.
Some gardeners pre-treat with special solutions in order to increase disease resistance and increase keeping quality (this is the name for the ability of fruits to retain their properties for a certain period).
To do this, use one of the methods:
- purified propolis (100 g) and 96% alcohol (0.5 l) are heated, apples are lowered there one by one, then dried;
- moisten a piece of cotton cloth with glycerin and wipe the fruit;
- for one minute dipped in a solution of calcium chloride (4%) or potassium permanganate and dried;
- immersed in melted paraffin or wax, after drying they are put in boxes with sawdust.
Apples processed in any of these ways must be washed before use.
Room preparation
It is also important to prepare a storage room. As a rule, a well-ventilated cellar or basement with whitewashed walls and a vitriol-treated floor is used for this, so that mold does not start.
Since ethylene is released to a minimum in cool air, the optimum temperature will be from -1 to +5, humidity - from 85 to 95%.
The room must be protected from groundwater, as well as well insulated.
How to store apples: 10 gardening secrets
Since apples are common in Russia, proven methods have been developed over the centuries. Before storing apples at home, check out the different options and choose the one that suits you best.
Method 1: individual
If the harvest is small, you can wrap each apple in paper and put it in baskets or boxes. So they are better stored, because when one fruit rots, the other does not become infected. Paper also absorbs moisture, limits the contact of fruits with each other, and is an additional thermal insulation.
You can, without wrapping, lay each layer with paper, straw or wood shavings. In any case, the stem should not be at the bottom.
Method 2: Bulk
If the harvest is large, then the most popular storage method is a slide laid out on hay or on dry leaves. The bottom is laid out with herbs (mint, lemon balm, thyme), they are also lined with each row and covered on top - they protect the fruits from insects and rodents and reduce the release of ethylene.
Method 3: in the sand
In order to store apples, boxes with sand are often used, since this is one of the most reliable options, it is done like this:
- Cover plywood boxes with newspapers.
- For the purpose of disinfection, heat the sand, let it cool, and pour it to the bottom with a layer of about 20 cm.
- Arrange the apples in a row and completely cover them with sand. Lay a new layer on top and fill it up.
- Install the boxes near the wall in several tiers, between each there should be a small gap.
With this method of storage, apples do not deteriorate until the end of spring, retaining their aroma and juiciness.
Method 4: in plastic wrap
A piece of polyethylene is placed in the box diagonally, the other is crossed to the first. Apples are laid on top and wrapped in a film in the form of an envelope.
Method 5: in plastic bags
Arrange apples (approximately 3 kg) in bags and lower them into storage without tying them to avoid condensation due to temperature differences. A day later, when the apples reach the desired temperature (as in the room), the bags can be tied.
Method 6: on racks
More convenient racks with drawers. Apples are laid out in one layer. Ideally, if the fruits do not touch. The distance from the floor and between the boxes should be 15-20 cm, to the ceiling - 30 cm.
Since the temperature is usually higher at the top, products that are used earlier are placed there, and at the bottom - for long-term storage.
Method 7: in boxes
Suitable boxes made of wood or cardboard. Trellised boxes are also used, their bottom must be covered with paper, cloth. You can put apples in them in several rows, while making sure that the stalks do not scratch each subsequent row.
Usually the boxes are placed one on one, so do not fill them to the very top. For convenience, stick a label on each storage indicating the size and grade.
Method 8: in containers
Wooden containers are used to store too much crop. However, they are not very convenient, since it is necessary to equip the ceilings inside for normal air access and pressure reduction on the lower rows of the rest of the mass.
Sometimes apples are shifted with straw, but this is not enough. If at least one apple goes bad, or condensation forms due to temperature changes, this can lead to rotting of the straw and the entire crop.
Method 9: in trenches
When there is no suitable room, apples can be stored directly in the ground. But this climate is suitable only for the southern and central strip of Russia, since at temperatures below -20, the fruits will freeze.
It is done like this:
- Place apples (1.5 kg) in plastic or linen bags, tying tightly.
- In a prepared trench 50-70 cm deep (depending on your climatic conditions), lay the bags at a distance of 20 cm from each other so as not to hurt when digging.
- Mark the location of each bag. To do this, you can tie a stick to it (at the same time it will be easier to pull it out).
- To protect against rodents, put sprigs of spruce or juniper in the hole.
- Cover everything with earth, cover with leaves and branches.
Dig out bags as needed. With this method of storage, apples do not lose their taste and beneficial features until spring.
Method 10: at home
For urban residents who do not have a cellar, basement or land, apples can be stored in an apartment, on a balcony, in a garage. Put the products in plastic or paper bags, half filled, and tie.
In each bag, make a cut about 10 cm long. If the weather is humid, then water drops will appear inside the bag, which will nourish the apples. This will protect the products from drying out, preserving their freshness and elasticity.
Outcome:
While creating proper conditions, apples can be stored in the cellar, in the garage, in the apartment. With a little effort, you can save your harvest and enjoy the wonderful taste of these fruits at any time of the year.
