How to Store Apples

Select fresh, good-quality apples for storage. Examine the apples you've chosen and separate any that are bruised or soft from those that are still fresh. A bruised apple can spoil the others if stored together, as it emits large amounts of ethylene gas when damaged. Therefore, avoid storing damaged apples alongside fresh ones.

Place any bruised apples on the countertop. When left in a bowl at room temperature, these apples can stay fresh for about 2 days. Of course, this is a short period, but bruised apples should be eaten quickly, no matter how you store them, as they spoil faster than unbruised apples.

• If an apple is too damaged to eat, it should be discarded. Alternatively, if you live in the countryside with a garden, you can leave it outside for animals to consume. Even if no animals eat it, the spoiled apple will become food for various insects and organisms in the soil.

Place fresh apples in the refrigerator. Apples will stay fresh for an extended period when stored in a cold environment. Most modern refrigerators have a fruit storage compartment or a crisper drawer; if yours has such a compartment, store the apples there. If not, you can place the apples in a loosely covered plastic container and position them towards the back of the fridge, where it is coldest.

Cover apples with a damp paper towel when storing them in the fridge. Besides a cold environment, apples also need some humidity to stay fresh. Place a damp paper towel over the apples to provide the necessary moisture. However, if you cover the apples with a wet towel, ensure that they are not placed in an airtight box or drawer.

Monitor the temperature if possible. If your refrigerator has a temperature control for the crisper drawer, set it to between -1°C and 2°C. This is the ideal range for apple storage. Storing apples in colder conditions can cause the cells to rupture, making the apples mushy and inedible; whereas storing them in warmer conditions, around 12°C, can cause them to ripen twice as fast.

• If your refrigerator does not have a temperature control dial but has basic controls to make the fridge cooler or warmer, place a thermometer in the compartment and adjust the dial until it shows the appropriate temperature range.

Check on the apples regularly. By following this method, apples will stay fresh for about 3 weeks.

Choose apples that last longer for storage. Tart apples with thick skins, such as Jonathans, Rome, Melrose, Fuji, and Granny Smiths, are the best options. Sweet apples with thin skins, like Red Delicious or Golden Delicious, typically do not perform as well in storage.

• Additionally, make sure the apples are still fresh. Apples with soft spots or bruises release a large amount of ethylene gas, which causes nearby apples to spoil faster and interferes with your storage efforts.

Wrap each apple individually. Even fresh apples produce some ethylene gas; therefore, apples that touch each other during storage tend to spoil more quickly. Furthermore, if one apple rots while stored, it can spread the decay to the others, causing the entire batch to spoil faster. Wrapping each apple helps prevent spoilage due to contact with other apples.

• Tear a newspaper page into four pieces and stack them. Choose paper with only black ink, as colored ink contains toxic heavy metals.
• Place an apple on top of the stack and use the top piece of paper to wrap it, gently folding the edges to cover the apple. Do not fold the paper too tightly, as this could tear it. The goal is to prevent the apples from touching each other, not to restrict air flow around them.
• Continue wrapping each apple in newspaper until all apples are wrapped.

Line the crates or cardboard boxes. The container for the apples doesn’t have to be airtight, as you still need air circulation around the apples while storing them, but it should limit the airflow. Lining the container also helps regulate the temperature and airflow around the apples. Use straw or plastic liners with small holes to line the box.

Place apples in the lined container. Arrange the apples next to each other, ensuring the newspaper doesn’t tear and that the skins of the apples don’t touch each other.

Store apples in a cool place. A typical cold storage facility for agricultural products is ideal for keeping apples, but any room with air conditioning or a cool spot in the house can also work effectively. However, the temperature should never be below freezing, as freezing will damage the apple's cells, causing them to become mushy when thawed.

Don't store apples near potatoes. Ripe potatoes release gases that can cause apples to spoil faster. While it's fine to store both in the same room or area, avoid placing them next to each other.

Check apples after a few months. By following this storage method, apples can maintain freshness for several months, but will start to deteriorate after that.

• Thermometer
• Newspaper
• Wooden or cardboard boxes
• Straw or perforated plastic liners