Genetics, storage options determine apples’ crispness

The apple sits in the fruit bowl. Tempting you with its red blush or cheerful green hue. One bite and you discover the mealy truth. Instead of a crisp, juicy crunch you’re met with mush.

What makes an apple mealy? And is there anything that can be done to prevent it?

“When apples are mealy, the cells split apart from each other when you bite into the fruit, whereas with crisp fruits the cells rupture and release juice,” said Susan Brown, an expert in apple breeding at Cornell University who has helped develop several varieties.

The cells of crisp apples stay intact and full of juice until they are bitten into, while cell walls of mushy fruit have weakened and simply separate from each other upon pressure without providing any snap.

There can be several reasons for the differences, Brown said.

The genetics of the variety can influence the taste and feel, she said, with SnapDragon and Honeycrisp known for their juiciness. But often mealy fruit can come from bad handling.

“If consumers store fruits at room temperature, rather than in the refrigerator, they will soften and get mealy sooner,” Brown said.

The differences between varieties can be striking. One study compared the relatively new variety Honeycrisp with the Macoun and Honeygold varieties.

The researchers found that the Honeycrisp fruit maintained its cell wall integrity after six months of storage, even without controlled atmosphere conditions, while cell walls of Macoun and Honeygold apples had deteriorated, releasing their juices prematurely.