10 Ways To Keep Apples From Turning Brown

Before jumping into ideas, let’s know why apples turn brown.

This refreshing fruit has a polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme, which resides inside the apples’ cells and the time you slice an apple, the air hits the cells as a result apples start to brown. And this natural browning process is also named oxidation. 

Splitting apples in half or pieces means breaking the cells and oxygen comes in contact with the PPo enzyme, together they start a chemical reaction. The brown color of the cut apples is the result of that chemical reaction. That’s the whole thing behind browning apples. 

If the ultimate goal is to bake apples in the oven, early browning won’t become a thing of concern. But as for serving fresh apples or saving them for lunch, then opting for one of the 10 ideas is a must. 

But keep in mind, these ways keep the apple fresh looking for a short term. The eventual outcome is browning no matter what you do because it’s a natural thing in apples. So, let’s learn how to prevent apples from turning brown:

It’s popular and most people follow this method because of its simplicity and easiness. You don’t need to spend time gathering any special tools or even ingredients. The only thing you’ll need is a bowl of plain water, that’s it. 

At parties or gatherings, we see freshly sliced apples and they don’t even brown slightly. You know how they do it, they use this simple idea. 

How To:

• The first thing to do is to wash apples with water. Peel the apples using a peeler if needed, otherwise proceed without peeling as they also contain good vitamins.
• Cut the apples into slices. It is up to you to choose the desired cutting shapes. Make sure that all apple pieces are uniform in size to promote even treatment.
• Pour cold water into a large bowl in a way to submerge the apple slices.
• Once the water is set, place the apple slices into that bowl. The slices should not be left open to air so make sure they drown fully. 
• For better results, cover the bowl with a lid. That way air won’t pass the apples. An alternative option to bowl is a lidded container. 
• Leave apples to soak for about 10 minutes or until you need to use them. 
• When ready to use, drain the apples, dry them out using paper towels to absorb moisture, and eat. That way the apples stay fresh for up to 4 hours. 

Citric acid might not be a common item in every kitchen. This sour powder is mostly used for canning and preserving. It also serves as a substitute for vinegar or lemon juice in homemade ricotta.

One can purchase citric acid online or in the canning supplies section of many supermarkets and big-box stores. A way with citric acid is easy.

How To:

• You just need to sprinkle ½ teaspoon of citric acid all over the apple slices.
• Spread the acid evenly using your hands and slices need to be coated well with it. 
• Allow the apples to sit for 5 minutes and then proceed to wash off the acid. 
• Pat dry the slices using paper towels and store or serve as per choice. 

Rinsed apple slices can be eaten as it is or one can absorb the moisture with a paper towel, then store and eat when you need. But this only keeps the apple fresh for some hours, once certain hours, the apple again starts to brown. So it is good to eat within an hour. 

Your apple might still taste tart despite rinsing. So use this method only when your apples end up in the oven. That way the tartness doesn’t become noticeable. 

You must have read about the relationship between antioxidants and apple browning in the previous block. The thing is high antioxidant apples change color gradually.

If one has apples with lower antioxidant levels, adding an ingredient high in antioxidants like lemon juice can cause a delay in browning. 

How To:

• Begin mixing lemon juice and water in a bowl. This gives a lemon juice solution. You can use around 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for 1 cup of water. The water reduces the strong tang of lemon juice. As a result, apples don’t get much affected by the flavors. 
• Place the apple slices into the bowl of lemon juice solution. The slices should be submerged fully. This breaks the contact with air. 
• In case of a slight exposure to air, the exposed part will turn brown. So, submerging the apples is a must and if needed cover them with a dish. 
• Allow the apple slices to soak in the lemon juice mixture. The soaking time ends in 3-5 minutes.
• Once soaked, take out apples from the bowl and throw in the lemon water. Directly eating recently drained apples might give a slightly tangy taste. So, wipe out the moisture and eat.

Instead of this soaking process, you can simply rub the lemon juice onto the cut apples. Toss the slices in a bowl to coat them evenly, and then let them rest for five minutes. 

When done, rinse the juice off in a colander under running water. This method can help keep the apples from browning for about seven hours.

The acidic vinegar with its 2-3 pH level indeed helps with browning apples. The acidity restricts the functions of the PPO enzyme by slowing down the oxidation in apple slices. 

The vinegar water method is similar to the previously mentioned methods.

How To:

• You will need around 1 tablespoon of vinegar (white or apple cider) and 1 cup of water.
• Mix them together in a bowl and add apple slices to that liquid.
• Move the slices slightly. If vinegar water is not enough to submerge apple slices, pour some extra and leave to sit for 3-5 minutes. One can use a vinegar solution spray bottle for the application. This one is even quicker to do.
• When soaking time ends, drain apple slices and wipe them with a paper towel to lower the vinegary taste of apples.
• Store the apple slices in the refrigerator for freshness and eat when you need. Or you can pack it as lunch for your kids. But it is good to finish before the day ends.

Mixing honey with water is another way to delay browning in apples. The acidic pH level in honey is a natural preservative. 

We all know what preservatives do they simply maintain the freshness of foods. So the same thing with apples also. 

How To:

• The need for ingredients and tools is not much, just 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 cup of water along with a bowl. 
• Mix in honey and water in a bowl with apple slices and then toss around to spread an even coating.
• Leave the slices alone for 3-4 minutes.
• When done, drain and rinse them using water. 

As honey pairs well with apples, so one can skip the rinsing part if one likes. This method can keep the slices fresh for up to 12 hours, whether on a plate or in a bag.

The main downside is that honey is more expensive compared to other browning-prevention options like lemon juice, salt, or even plain water.

Now your cut or sliced fruits or any vegetables will be fresh, you just need to buy fruit fresh or produce protector from the stores. They are to keep fruits and vegetables in a texture like freshly picked ones. 

Ascorbic acid also known as vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. This one preserves the color and freshness of apple slices.

How To:

• Prepare the apples- by rinsing, peeling, and slicing them off into desired pieces.
• Then move towards soaking the apple slices into the produce protector and water mixture, and leave them together for 3-5 minutes. 
• When done, drain and air-dry apple slices or pat dry with paper towels. This helps in forming a protective layer.
• Now the apple slices are ready for storing or you can serve them. 

Fruit fresh and produce protectors are quite effective in preventing browning for several hours to a few days, depending on storage conditions. An ideal situation to use this protector is when one has to prepare fruits in large quantities for events or meals. 

This soda drink has citric acid- an indirect connection to the antioxidant. So this also helps to keep apples away from browning.

How To:

• Clean apples nicely with water and cut them into slices or preferred shapes.
• Pour 1 cup of lemon-lime soda in a bowl. The apples in bowls need to be submerged fully without getting a single part of them out of soda. 
• Now allow the slices to soak in a soda drink for around 5 minutes. This is generally enough time for the soda to start inhibiting browning. 
• When soaked, remove apple slices and drain them. Use a strainer or colander if you like. 
• Wipe away the remained soda moisture using a paper towel. This will help avoid a sticky residue on the apples.

One can get to taste a subtle sweetness in apples even after washing them. But apples will still taste good. Don’t leave the apples for longer hours. It is ideal to consume them within a few hours for better quality. 

I still remember my grandmother used to use salt water to soak the veggies and fruit. So you see this solution has been there for ages.

Salt simply lets out moisture and prevents bacteria or any contamination. The same thing goes with apple slices. As they go in salt water, the oxidation process gets slowed down. 

How To: 

• Create a mixture in a bowl. Add ⅛ teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of water to that bowl. Less use of salt is to reduce its salty taste in apple slices. In case of excess salt, the slices go to waste. 
• Allow the apples to soak in the mixture by adding slices into that bowl. Give a quick stir to apple slices and leave for 1-3 minutes. 
• Make sure slices are fully drowned in the salt water.
• Drain the apple slices and rinse well with water. It removes any residual salt.
• Dry out the slices using a paper towel before use. Keep them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator in case of later use.

We know apples get oxidized when they are cut and exposed to air, but what if we cover the slices or put them in an airtight container?

They won’t brown! When there is no supply of oxygen, then there is no chemical reaction that causes browning or oxidation. 

How To:

• Wash off apples, peel them if desired, and chop off into slices.
•  Either wrap apple slices with plastic wrap or put them in a container.
• Then place the wrapped slices in the refrigerator. By keeping the apple slices sealed, you slow down this reaction.

The enzymes are not that active in cold temperatures, resulting in a slower browning process, this way apple slices remain fresh and crisp for a longer time.

One should follow both covering and refrigerating to achieve the expected results. These activities keep the apple slices fresh for up to a week. 

This one is a bit different way than others. You will have to go through a few cooking steps here. It involves the use of extreme heating temperatures and apples also change their texture throughout the process. 

This method is useful to you if the final goal is to serve cooked or baked apples. Your apple slices don’t stay the same as that of freshly cut ones. So consider this before using it. For fresh apples, other methods are better to avoid browning.

How To:

• Begin with diced apples or initiate to slice them off. Before slicing, cleaning is a must because hygiene can’t be overlooked.
• Blanch the apple slices by adding them in boiling water. Boil for 2 minutes.
• Once blanched, drain apples and put them in cold water to shock them for 5-6 minutes. Make sure they submerge fully in there.
• Take them out of the water and store or serve them by drying out the moisture with paper towels. 

Each method has its own benefits. You can choose one based on the convenience.

However, if I have to say specifically then there are a few options: Lemon juice, water bath, and honey water. The reason is that they’re easy to follow and don’t require any uncommon ingredients and tools.

Anyone can easily follow those methods to keep away browning. Most importantly, you can even skip the rinsing part with those methods. 

Why Do Some Apples Turn Brown Faster Than Others?

The reason is very simple and mostly depends on the types of apples. The level of enzyme PPO is not the same in all apples you eat. Some do have a high amount while others contain less. Apples with more PPO brown faster, and those with less PPO brown more slowly. 

This evergreen fruit also packs antioxidants. Here this content can delay the browning in apples by slowing down the oxidation process, as a result, some don’t just brown quickly. 

Macintosh, Fuji, and Golden Delicious apples brown quickly, while Snapdragon and Honeycrisp brown at a moderate rate, and Empire, Pink Lady, and Cortland apples brown slowly.

Besides the enzyme, breeding is another factor in browning apples. Apple breeding programs pass down the resistance to browning.

Some popular examples include Pink Lady apple which brown slowly. The only apples to resist browning are arctic. It has been grown in a way that it becomes capable of stopping the brownness when sliced. 

Are Browning Apples Okay to Eat?

One can eat browned apples with surety. The brown color is harmless and it doesn’t mean the apple is spoiled. It just looks less appealing and older.