Apple

Enjoy more fruits and vegetables

Grow

As American as Apple...

Apples are grown in all 50 of the United States. The top

states for apple producƟon are Washington, New York,

Michigan, Pennsylvania, California and Virginia.1

  

For North Carolina, apples are an important part of the

agriculture economy. Apples grow best in the mountain

region in the western part of the state.2,3

Choose

VarieƟes Galore!

Sweet or tart—there is an apple for every taste. Apples

come in different sizes, colors and flavors. A number of

different culƟvars of apples are grown in North Carolina

alone. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith,  

Gala, Fuji, Honey Crisp, Empire, Rome Beauty and Pink

Lady are just a few examples.2,3

Store

There is a saying—one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.

Take care in storing apples. If stored in the best condiƟons,

apples should stay fresh for 3‐8 months. Store fresh apples

in a cool, dark place (32‐36o

F is opƟmal). Apples pick up

and give off odors. Some fruits and vegetables, like apples,

produce ethylene gas. Ethylene gas can cause produce to

ripen quickly. Avoid storing apples near produce that is

sensiƟve to ethylene, like bananas or nectarines.3,5

Once an apple is cut, it will begin to turn brown. To avoid

browning, try dipping apple slices in an acidic juice, like

lemon juice.3

Fun Fact: About 2,500 apple varieƟes grow in the U.S.4

Fun Fact: Golden Delicious apples do not brown as easily

as other varieƟes. Cut them into slices to enjoy as a

snack!1

Fun Fact: New York is oŌen called “The Big Apple”.1

Use

Apples can be eaten raw or cooked and can be sweet or

sour, depending on the variety. Apples can be purchased

fresh—whole or sliced. They can also be sold in slices

canned, frozen, or dried or as sauce or juice. Apples are

washed aŌer harvesƟng, which removes the natural wax

that preserves their shelf life. A food wax can be used on

apples to replace the natural wax. Before eaƟng, wash

fresh whole apples under clean, running water that is the

same temperature as the apple to prevent any wax from

becoming milky or cloudy.3,4,5

All Year Long

Apples can be available year round, either fresh or from

cold storage. N.C. apples can be purchased July through

February. Peak harvest is mid‐August through October.

Smaller apples are usually less expensive than and just as

delicious as larger apples. Choose firm apples with

smooth skin and no bruises, soŌ spots or wrinkles.2,3,5

Apples are a fruit that grow on trees. Apples trees can be

planted to provide both fruit and shade. Young apple

trees can be bought from a nursery and planted from late

fall to early spring. Apple trees are generally sold as two

parts of different trees that are put together through a

process called graŌing. The boƩom half, called the root

stock, determines whether the tree will be small or large,

and the top half determines what type of apple will grow.

It may take 3‐6 years for the tree to blossom and produce

apples.3

  

Fruit

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 08/14 

http://childnutrition.ncpublicschools.gov 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA 

State Board of Education 

Department of Public Instruction 
Apple

Eat

An apple a day really can keep the doctor away!

Apples are cholesterol free, low in fat and sodium, and a

good source of vitamin C and fiber. Vitamin C helps form

collagen to hold muscles, bones and Ɵssues together,  

protects us from infecƟons and bruising, aids in healing,

keeps our gums healthy, helps our body absorb iron and

folate from plants, and acts as an anƟoxidant to prevent

cell damage. Soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol.

Insoluble fiber aids digesƟon. Flavonoids in apples act as

anƟoxidants and may contribute to heart health.1,4,6

Teach

Did you know that commercial apples are not grown

from apple seed? Because apple seeds do not produce

“true to variety”, growers use graŌing to produce trees

that will bear fruit of the same apple variety.  

Did you hear the buzz? Honey bees are very important in

apple producƟon. Bees pollinate the apple tree blossom,

forming an apple. Apples cannot self‐pollinate so they

must receive pollen from another variety of apple tree,

carried by bees. A single bee can carry 100,000 pollen

grains from flower to flower, cross‐pollinizing as it moves

from tree to tree. A well‐pollinated apple has an average

of 5‐12 seeds. Apple seeds are distributed among five

seed chambers or carpels, found near the core. If an apple

blossom is poorly pollinated, fewer seeds will form and

the resulƟng apple will be small. An apple with few seeds

will likely fall to the ground and not mature. If an apple

develops more seeds on one side, it will be lopsided.1

  

Red, Yellow, Green...Brown?

Once you cut into an apple, the inside will begin to turn

brown. This is called oxidaƟon. When the inside of the  

apple comes in contact with oxygen in the air, an enzyme

called polyphenol oxidase (PPO) reacts chemically with

other compounds in the apple and what you see is a

brown coloring of the fruit. This enzyme reacƟon can be  

prevented by inacƟvaƟng the PPO by adding lemon juice.1

  

Enjoy more fruits and vegetables

Fun Fact: One American eats about 120 apples a year!4

Find

For more apple info and resources, visit:

1. hƩp://usapple.org

2. wwww.ncagr.gov

3. www.ces.ncsu.edu

4. hƩp://lancaster.unl.edu/nep/fruitveggie.shtml

5. www.fns.usda.gov/tn/fruits‐vegetables‐galore‐helping‐

kids‐eat‐more

6. www.eatright.org

Fun Fact: Cut an apple crosswise to observe how the

seeds and carpels form a “star” design.

Class AcƟvity

Materials needed:

 Lopsided apples, cut in half

Steps:

1. Look for the carpels. Compare the number of seeds in

each half. The larger side should have more seeds.

Fun Fact: October is NaƟonal Apple Month!1

Class AcƟvity

Materials Needed:

 3 bowls (1 filled with water, 1 filled with water and   

lemon juice, and 1 filled with apple juice)

 1 apple cut into quarters

Steps:

1. Dip 1 apple quarter into the bowl of water, dip 1 into

the water and lemon juice, and dip 1 into the apple

juice. Leave the 4th quarter on the table.

2. Label each apple according to exposure (air, apple

juice, water and lemon juice, and water).  

3. Place each apple quarter on the table for 10 minutes.

4. Observe browning reacƟons. The apples exposed to air

and water will brown more than the apples exposed to

the lemon and apple juices. The juices lower the pH of

the apple and cause the PPO to become less acƟve. Fruit

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 08/14 

http://childnutrition.ncpublicschools.gov 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA 

State Board of Education 

Department of Public Instruction