The variety is particularly susceptible to scald and must be treated with DPA prior to storage. However, this technique is still being evaluated for safety under New York conditions and should not be attempted by storage operators. Early harvest, application of rapid CA procedures and computer control of atmospheres will reduce risk of injury. Low ethylene technology is used for storage of Empire apples by several storage operators. Benefits of low ethylene storage are sometimes better than those obtained using low oxygen storage.
Empire apples are susceptible to flesh softening and flesh breakdown.
Breakdown is also controlled by low ethylene storage. The recommended storage temperature for Empire apples is 34 F to 36 F, representing a compromise between excessive loss of firmness at higher temperatures and risk of chilling related injuries at lower temperatures. Empire has a low susceptibility to scald, and DPA treatment can be avoided. However, application of DPA for scald control appears to reduce susceptibility of fruit to external carbon dioxide injury and improve maintenance of fruit firmness. Some storage operators successfully store Empire apples with McIntosh.