Behindwoods : Literature Society : History of the Apples

History of the Apples By Vikram Sridhar Location : Chennai E-mail : vikram420mech@yahoo.co.in

‘An Apple - a day keeps the doctor away’ is old story. Now let’s go a step further and understand this fruit a bit better.
HISTORY OF THE APPLES The first trees to produce sweet, flavorful apples similar to those we enjoy today, were located many thousands of years ago near the modern city of Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan. The Greeks were growing several varieties of apples by the late 300’s BC, and the ancient Romans also grew and loved the fruit. Researchers have even found the charred remains of apples at a Stone Age village in Switzerland. European settlers brought apple seeds and trees with them to the New World. Records from the Massachusetts Bay Company indicate that apples were being grown in New England as early as 1630. Apples have also appeared in legends in our past. In the Bible, Adam and Eve are tempted by apples in the Garden of Eden, and in the Swiss story of William Tell, an archer is arrested and then promised his freedom if he can shoot an apple off his son’s head with an arrow. It has even contributed to the world of science my enlightening Newton on the theory of gravity.
WHY DO THESE APPLES TURN BROWN ON GETTING CUT? Fresh cut apples turn brown when iron-containing chemicals inside apple cells react with Oxygen in the air. We see this every day when iron objects rust, or when scabs on cuts turn brown. The chemical reaction is called "Oxidation", and the enzyme that regulates Oxidation in apples is called "PolyPhenol Oxidase" (PPO), also known as "Tyrosinase". But Tyrosinase is important in humans because it helps create melanin, which causes tanning. A lack of Tyrosinase may lead to a condition known as 'Albinism'.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO AVOID THIS BROWNING EFFECT? 1) Using anti-oxidants such as lemon juice, which are high in citric acid. In commercial processing, Sulphur Dioxide is used. 2) Use clean, high-quality cooking utensils. Iron salts found on steel cooking utensils corroded by organic acids can act as potent catalysts to oxidation by producing per-oxides and super-oxides. 3) Avoiding the apples to come in contact with air. That is why vacuum-packed foods stay fresher so long. 4) But the best and quickest way to avoid the browning would be to eat them immediately on being cut.
ONE BAD APPLE SPOILS THE WHOLE BUSHEL Damaged or diseased apples produce high levels of ethylene, which stimulates other apples to ripen too quickly. As the fruits ripen, they become more susceptible to disease. Ethylene "producers" should not be stored with fruits, vegetables, or flowers that are sensitive to it. The result could be loss of quality, reduced shelf life, and specific symptoms of injury.
Next >>