On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 17:30:20 -0400, Brooklyn1
> wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Oct 2014 13:03:58 -0600, Janet Bostwick
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>That apple you just bought might be a year old – but does it matter?
>>
>>The leaves are changing, the temperature is dropping, and as we slide
>>fully into fall, the shift in season means one very important thing
>>for foodies: It's apple season.
>>
>>But did you know that the apples on the shelves of your supermarket
>>might be nearly a year old? Here's why — and why it doesn’t
>>necessarily mean you should panic.
>>
>>Lauren Sucher, a spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration,
>>confirmed to TODAY.com that apples on store shelves aren’t always as
>>fresh as they seem.
>>
>>“A number of commodities, including apples, may be stored to extend
>>their availability for marketing,” she said. “In controlled
>>temperatures and low humidity, apples can be stored for months before
>>being consumed.”
>>
>>According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website, freshly
>>picked apples left untreated will last a few weeks before they turn
>>soft and rot, so they’re often stored under temperature-controlled
>>conditions that allow them to last up to 10 months. Once they’re
>>removed from storage, however, the clock starts ticking again.
>>
>>“To slow the proverbial sands of time, some fruit distributors treat
>>their apple bins with a gaseous compound, 1-methylcyclopropene,” the
>>USDA states. “It extends the fruits’ post-storage quality by blocking
>>ethylene, a colorless gas that naturally regulates ripening and
>>aging.”
>>
>>The same chemical is used to lessen the “de-greening of broccoli,
>>browning of lettuce, and bitterness in carrots,” according to the
>>USDA.
>>
>>But even if this fact is surprising, it shouldn’t be scary. Although
>>antioxidants and taste may wane over time, experts tell TODAY.com that
>>such treatments are perfectly safe.
>>
>>For starters, off-farm facilities that store food for consumption in
>>the U.S. must register with the FDA, and must comply with related
>>safety requirements, Sucher says.
>>
>>Prolonging the life of produce isn’t a new concept, either. “Before
>>the current technology, people had root cellars to extend the shelf
>>life and availability of food commodities such as apples,” Sucher
>>added. “This common, widespread practice allows consumers to eat a
>>wider variety of produce items for more months of the year now than in
>>decades past.”
>>
>>Phil Lempert, a consumerologist who’s also known as the Supermarket
>>Guru, told TODAY.com via email that while apples can exist in cold
>>storage for a year before being shipped to supermarkets, their shelf
>>life once they’re in stores usually is “only days to a couple of
>>weeks.”
>>
>>Martin Lindstrom, author of “Truth and Lies About What We Buy,” told
>>TODAY.com it’s more common for international supermarkets to sell
>>apples that have been picked more than a year earlier, but that that's
>>less often the case in the United States.
>>
>>Of course, not all harvested apples go into long-term storage. Many
>>are delivered to fresh markets. In addition, not all apples from
>>storage appear in the produce section. They may be used to make
>>juices, frozen pies and other types of processed foods, Sucher says.
>>
>>But even if extending the life of apples is safe, a store-bought apple
>>may not be the healthiest option.
>>
>>“A fresh-picked apple is always going to have the optimal nutrient
>>profile of vitamins and minerals,” said Madelyn Fernstrom, a diet and
>>nutrition editor for TODAY. “Apples are especially rich in
>>polyphenols, a type of antioxidant.”
>>
>>Those antioxidants appear to disappear over time. The website Food
>>Renegade cites research that claims a year-old apple may retain close
>>to none of its antioxidant properties.
>>
>>Fernstrom said there may be truth to the correlation between age and
>>decreasing antioxidant value, but stated the use of ethylene doesn’t
>>appear to be the reason for it.
>>
>>“A recent study suggests that the amount of antioxidants in apples
>>might drop with extended storage," she added, "because these
>>antioxidants are found in the peel, not the flesh of the apple.”
>>
>>Although it’s often difficult to determine which supermarket apples
>>are freshest until after they’re bought, Lindstrom said some markets
>>are working to provide better information about each apple. “Some
>>retailers are now offering ‘footprints,’ telling [shoppers] when it
>>was grown and when it was picked,” he added.
>>
>>And if you don’t want to play that kind of guessing game? “Your best
>>bet is to buy apples seasonally and locally,” Fernstrom said.
>>
>>http://tinyurl.com/o2ujgo7
>
>A lot of BS. Apples are grown in both hemispheres and air frighted .

Also freighted. LOL