5 Little-Known Facts About Apples 🍏

Certainly! Here are five little-known facts about apples:

Genetic Diversity:
Apples come in a remarkable array of flavors, colors, and textures. There are over 7,500 known varieties of apples, each with its own unique combination of taste and appearance. Despite this diversity, many grocery stores typically offer only a handful of popular varieties, contributing to the misconception that apples are a relatively uniform fruit.

Origins in Kazakhstan:
The modern domesticated apple, Malus domestica, is believed to have originated in Kazakhstan. The wild ancestor of the domestic apple is called Malus sieversii, and it still grows in the mountains of Central Asia. These wild apples have a more complex flavor profile and are much smaller than the apples we are accustomed to seeing in supermarkets.

Apple Float Test:
You can determine the freshness of an apple by conducting a simple float test. Fresh apples have a high water content, making them less dense than older, stale apples. If you place an apple in a bowl of water and it floats, it means it has lost some of its freshness. On the other hand, if it sinks, it is fresher and likely crisper.

Apple Trees Don't "Come True":
Unlike some fruits, planting the seeds of a particular type of apple won't give you a tree that produces identical apples. Apple trees grown from seeds undergo a process called cross-pollination, resulting in genetic variation. This is why orchardists typically use grafting techniques to reproduce specific apple varieties, ensuring consistency.

Long Shelf Life:
Apples have a remarkable ability to stay fresh for an extended period. When stored in a cool environment, such as a refrigerator, apples can remain crisp and flavorful for several months. This is due in part to their thick skin, which helps protect the fruit from dehydration and external contaminants. Additionally, controlled atmosphere storage technology allows apples to be stored in a low-oxygen environment, further extending their shelf life.