Fresh-cut Apples Ready as a New
Convenience Food
By Kathryn Barry
Stelljes
October 3, 2000 Sliced apples that stay fresh for two
weeks may soon be available in schools, grocery stores and salad bars
nationwide, thanks to research by U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists.
Scientists with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Albany,
Calif., discovered that certain calcium salts protect apple slices from color,
taste or texture changes. Mantrose-Haeuser Co., Inc., of Westport, Conn., then
developed a proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals based on the research
that keeps cut apples fresh for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. The
company sells the product as Nature Seal to the food service industry.
“This is a great example of USDA
partnering with industry to create nutritious products that consumers
want,” said ARS Administrator Floyd Horn.
Surveys by the Washington Apple
Commission in Wenatchee, Wash., indicate that school children are likely to
eat more apples if the fruit is served cut rather than whole.
“Children in some school lunch programs already enjoy these apples,”
Horn said. “Any research that leads to increased consumption of healthy
food is money well spent.” ARS and Mantrose-Haeuser have patented the
process.
An article on this research appears in the October issue of ARS’
monthly magazine, Agricultural
Research. It can be viewed online at:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/oct00/apple1000.htm
Scientific contact: Dominic Wong or Attila Pavlath, ARS
Western Regional Research Center,
Process Chemistry
and Engineering Research Unit, Albany, CA; phone (510) 559-5621, fax (510)
559-5818, dwsw@pw.usda.gov /
apavlath@pw.usda.gov.
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