Apple and Orange are the most important fruits consumed and processed. In a saturated market, these traditional fruits have to compete with attractive tropical fruits. Therefore, many horticultural activities have been determined to create new and optimized varieties of apples.
Important attributes for apple are, of course, harvest and resistance to diseases, but also storage stability and sensory properties. Sensory properties of apples include color, taste and smell but also mouth feel during consumption.
Apple Color
The coloring principles of apple responsible for the green, yellow and red appearance are chlorophyll (green) and phenolic components (yellow/red/brown). Color as a first impression of the fruit plays a significant role for customer acceptance.
Red-Colored Apples
Apples with a red skin (red-skinned apples) are very common. The color of their apple flesh however has only a weak red touch.
Red-fleshed apples are strongly red-fleshed.
Almost 25 years ago experts started to breed those deep red-colored varieties which can also yield deep red-colored apple products like chips, cake and apple juice. Anthocyanins were identified as coloring principles of red-fleshed apples (1).
Whereas the first varieties tasted very astringent and acid driven, new varieties have a balanced sugar acid ratio with an acidity, which is perceived positively by customers.
Juice from Red-Fleshed Apples
Several years ago, the first juices appeared on the market as niche products.
Meanwhile a lot of demand by manufacturers is on the market and extensive research was invested to identify coloring principles and color appearance.
Color stability during shelf life of juices from red-fleshed apples is critical and an important subject to be optimized.
Utilizing the CIELAB L*a*b* color system, the color of apple juices from different red-fleshed apple varieties could be described. Color stability was evaluated during storage in different lighting and temperatures.
Light did not have a significant influence but higher temperatures led to a decrease in red color during storage (2) (3).
Many possible parameters responsible for color stability have to be evaluated for their influence on red color. Among them are apple variety, ripeness, processing and technology.
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Outlook
Investigations into the above parameters influencing the color stability of red-fleshed apple products will be continued. The target is to receive product with a good shelf life stability.
For the future, it is important to have bigger quantities of these apples on the market in order to create branded products.
The concept of juice from red-fleshed apples affords a tailor-made marketing concept to explain this product to customers.
Anthocyanins, which are responsible for the red color, might add additional health benefits to products from red-fleshed apples (1).
In a declining juice market, the concept of products from red-fleshed apples represents an opportunity to put the traditional segment into a new spotlight:
- Exclusivity in a supersaturated range always represents a competitive advantage, especially with regard to tropical fruits.
- Appearance (color) is the first sensory perception of a product (in this case an exclusive feature).
- The logical step for the next “exclusive innovation” for apple is continuation of the red peel to the red fruit flesh, with the other above mentioned benefits.
Thanks a lot for valuable input and discussions to: Prof. Dr. Reinhard Hambitzer, University of Applied Sciences, Niederrhein, Oecotrophologie, Faculty of Food, Nutrition and Hospitality Sciences,
Reading List
Sadilova, E., Stintzing F.C., Carle, R. Journal of Applied Botany and Food Quality 80, (2006) 82-87
Haug M., Fuchs F., Spieß D., Hambitzer R., Apfelsaft aus rotfleischigen Äpfeln – Untersuchungen zur Farbstabilität. Teil I: Flüssiges Obst 83 (2015) 490-493, Teil II: Flüssiges Obst 84 (2016) 27- 30
Hambitzer R., Martens C., Haug M.. Apfelsaft aus rotfleischigen Äpfeln – Untersuchungen zur Farbstabilität. Flüssiges Obst 82 (2014) 487-492
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