How to stop chopped apples from going brown

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How to stop apples from going brown: Mums share their genius tricks for keeping chopped up fruit fresh – with fantastic results

  • A mum soaks chopped apples in order to stop the pieces from turning brown
  • She posted a photo online demonstrating the liquid substances that can be used
  • Apple juice, salt water, plain water and soda water are all said to work well  
  • On Facebook other mums said they re-form the fruit with a rubber band or freeze

By Carina Stathis For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

A mum has revealed her simple tricks for preventing chopped apples from turning brown and making sure her fussy five-year-old daughter eats her fruit hours after it’s been sliced. 

Sharing a post to the Lunchbox Ideas Australia Facebook group, the woman showed apple pieces in four compartments filled with different substances – apple juice, salt water, plain water and soda water – and said they each helped to stop browning. 

‘Do you soak the cut fruit before packing them to stop them from browning?’ she asked online.

The post sparked a conversation among other parents who also shared their helpful tips and tricks on the topic. 

The woman published a photo (pictured) of apple pieces in four bowls filled with varying substances – including apple juice, salt water, plain water and soda water

Others slice and re-form the fruit using a rubber band (pictured)

Others slice and re-form the fruit using a rubber band (pictured)

While the woman uses salt water and soda water for best results, others shared their own tips too.

‘I soak mine in salt water – works a treat,’ one woman said, another added: ‘I just soak them in regular tap water, it stops them going brown and minimal effort.’

‘Squeeze lemon juice over the top, my kids love it,’ a third said, before another added that a strong lemon taste may be just as off-putting.

'I soak mine in regular water for an hour and pack into this gel freezer container ¿ lasts the whole day without going brown,' another said.

Others encouraged the mum to purchase air-tight containers or Ziploc bags to ensure less air touches the apples before they're eaten

‘I soak mine in regular water for an hour and pack into this gel freezer container – lasts the whole day without going brown,’ another said. 

Ask the experts: How to stop chopped apples from going brown (and keep the crunch!)

Storing the apple

When you get your apples home, always keep them in the fridge as they will stay fresh and crisp for longer. If you prefer your apples at room temperature simply pop a few in your fruit bowl in the morning and they’ll be ready to go by snack time. 

Prevent browning 

When an apple is cut into pieces, the white flesh is exposed to oxygen in the air. The apple flesh turns brown when it reacts to the oxygen, a process known as ‘enzymatic browning’. The name ‘enzymatic browning’ comes from the enzyme in the fruit, known as polyphenol oxidase (PPO), reacting with the oxygen in the air to turn the fruit brown. 

To help stop apple slices from browning, try one of these handy hacks:

* Brush or dip sliced apples in lemon or fruit juice (such as lemon, lime pineapple or orange juice). The acidic juice will slow the oxidisation keep and add sweet tang to the fruit.

* Cut an apple in segments and then tie it back together with an to reduce their exposure to oxygen.

* When preparing a fruit salad, pair your apples with acidic fruit, like mandarin segments 

Source: Aussie Apples 

Other mums said they freeze or refrigerate chopped apples overnight to last until lunch the next day, while others simply slice and re-form the fruit using a rubber band.

‘We cut them with [the apple cutter] and put it back together with a rubber band and it doesn’t go brown,’ one mum said.

‘I soak mine in regular water for an hour and pack into this gel freezer container – lasts the whole day without going brown,’ another said.

Others encouraged the mum to purchase air-tight containers or Ziploc bags to ensure less air touches the apples before they’re eaten.