Why do apples, when placed in a cool environment for extended periods of time, form a 'waxy' layer on their skins
Living on an orchard, we grow many more apples than we can eat and so store them in the garage throughout Winter where it's cold. They are in a box, but with air circulating around them and newspaper between each of the layers of apples. Why does the skin of the apple go 'waxy'? Also, how can this be prevented?
Best Answer
This waxy coating is called epicuticular wax, as it forms the cuticle of the fruit. It is essentially paraffin. It acts to both seal in moisture and keep out fungi, dirt and microorganisms.
As rumtscho suggests in her comment, even if you could prevent it from forming, it's not a good idea for obvious reasons: it does no harm and keeps the apples fresher for longer.
Pictures about "Why do apples, when placed in a cool environment for extended periods of time, form a 'waxy' layer on their skins"
Why do apples have wax on them?
That's because the fruit is coated with a layer of natural wax that protects it from drying out and helps to prevent fungi from getting a foothold. The wax is a mixture of up to fifty different compounds, most of which fall into the chemical category known as esters.What makes apples shiny?
Food producers use shellac on apples to restore the fruit's natural wax that can be lost when washed. Shellac gives them a shiny coating, prevents bruising, and prolongs shelf life. In case you're unfamiliar with shellac, here's a crash course: it's a resin secreted by a bug called the lac bug.How do you get wax coating off apples?
What is the white film on apples?
In the orchard the surface of the fruit with a powdery white coating that can be easily rubbed off. The coating is referred to as bloom and consists of minute scales of wax. The wax is excreted by the epidermal cells of the fruit. The wax coating helps preserve the fruit and reduce evaporation.4 reasons why our Environment can't take so many Apple iPhones | Sustainability Analysis
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