Buying Apples: What Should You Pay Attention To?

When buying apples, the focus is on freshness, degree of ripeness, and the integrity of the fruit. In addition, taste, nutrients, and tolerability determine the perfect apple. The so-called marketing standard of the EU, which divides the pome fruit into three classes, gives an initial overview of the quality of the apple:

• Top class: The apples have at most superficial defects in the skin, but the flesh is not affected, and the stalk is intact. The durability is not limited. There are also all the typical characteristics of the apple variety in terms of shape, size, and color.
• Class I: The flesh of the apples is also flawless. However, skin defects that do not affect the quality of the fruit are allowed. Minor irregularities in the shape and color of the shell are also possible. The stem may be missing as long as the breakage is not damaged.
• Class II: The apples meet the minimum requirements such as a sufficient degree of ripeness. They can be consumed without hesitation. Defects in the skin are permissible, the flesh may at most have small defects, and the stalk may be missing.

When you buy apples, however, the condition of the fruit on site is crucial. Watch out for plump apples with smooth skin. It should not show any dents or cracks. If you eat the apple very soon, both are harmless to your health. However, the damaged pome fruit is prone to mold growth in the long term and thus the shelf life is limited. If the skin is wrinkled, the fruit may have been improperly stored and the flesh may already be dry and floury.

If you don’t notice any external damage, you should then check the degree of ripeness before you buy the apples. The basic color of the fruit should correspond to the usual color of the apple variety. If a red variety is not quite red, the fruit should still ripen, otherwise, it may taste sour.

To decide on a variety that suits your personal taste, do the smell test. The scent that the fruit gives off is usually very close to the aroma of the pulp. Allergy sufferers should preferably opt for the old apple varieties, as these are usually better tolerated. The same recommendation applies if you don’t want to use the apples raw but want to make them into an apple pie. The old varieties such as Boskop are particularly suitable for baking.

If certain nutrients are particularly important to you, you should also pay attention to the variety when buying apples. With around 30 milligrams per 100 grams, the Braeburn contains more than twice as much vitamin C as most other apples. A Golden Delicious, for example, only provides about 10 milligrams. The old varieties Boskop and Cox Orange, on the other hand, contain above-average amounts of secondary plant substances.