Study boasts of apple’s healthy core strength

Apple eaters typically skip the best part of the fruit, new research suggests.

Researchers from Graz University of Technology in Austria recently conducted a study, published in the Frontiers of Microbiology, to explore how apple bacteria, much of which promote gut health, affect the human body.

They assessed the bacterial content of the stem, peel, fruit pulp, seeds and calyx. They examined organic and conventional store-bought apples.

They found a typical 240g apple contains about 100 million bacteria, most in the fruit’s core, particularly the seeds. Only 10 million bacterial cells live in the flesh.

“To the heroes among you who eat the whole apple: besides extra fiber, flavonoids and flavor, you’re also quaffing 10 times as many bacteria per fruit as your core-discarding counterparts,” the authors said in a statement.

Organic apples “harbor a more diverse and balanced bacterial community — which could make them healthier and tastier than conventional apples, as well as better for the environment,” the team said.

For example, escherichia-shigella, which includes known pathogens, was found in most of the conventional apples but not the organic ones. Lactobacilli, which is a type of probiotic, was found in most organic apples but not conventional ones.

The scientists hope to continue their investigations to better understand the bacterial makeup of other fruits.

“The microbiome and antioxidant profiles of fresh produce may one day become standard nutritional information, displayed alongside macronutrients, vitamins and minerals to guide consumers,” the scientists concluded. “Here, a key step will be to confirm to what extent diversity in the food microbiome translates to gut microbial diversity and improved health outcomes.”