Apple is the most popular fruit around the world, especially in the United States. Besides being a nutritious food that can be eaten raw, apples can be used to make all kinds of tasty appetizers and dishes as well. Therefore, most people will buy apples large quantities of apples at a time. With a lot of apples on stock, most people will wonder how long apples can last before it goes bad.
So, how long do apples last? It depends on when it was picked and how it’s stored. On average, most apples will last up to 2 weeks at room temperature, while it will last up to 4 weeks in the pantry. For cooler places such as the fridge, apples can last up to 8 weeks, while up to 1 year in the freezer.
There are many varieties of apples available such as Fuji apple, Red Delicious Apple, Golden Delicious Apple, Gala apple, and a couple of others. Each variety of apples have different taste and colors to them, but one thing remains the same is their shelf life. All varieties of apples will go bad at around the same time if not stored properly.
In the articles, we will go through on buying applies, storage, and ways to keep them lasting longer. If this is what you’re looking for, keep reading.
Apple Shelf Life
| Pantry | Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apples (Fresh, Raw. Whole) | 5-7 Days | 1-2 Months | 10-12 Months |
| Packaged Fresh Cut Apples | n/a | 3-5 Days | n/a |
How Long Do Apples Last?
How long apples last will depend on how you store apples. You can store them in the pantry or on the countertop, in the fridge, or in the freezer.
Some people like put apples in a basket on the countertop for decoration purposes. If you’re planning to do this, make sure the apples are away from direct sunlight. If the apples are exposed to sunlight, they will start to have bruises and get soft quickly. Storing them at room temperature, make sure to use the apples within 10 days.
Apples that are stored in the pantry, where the temperature is much cooler and dark, the apples will last about 3 to 4 weeks. Make sure to leave them in the original packaging or place them a plastic bag if you’ve handpicked apples.
When storing apples in the fridge, they should last between 5 to 8 weeks. Again, keep them in the original packaging or put them in a resealable plastic bag. This will help prevent moisture from getting to the apples.
If you’re looking to keep apples longer than a few months, the freezer is the place to put them. However, unlike storing them in other places, to store them in the freezer, you’ll need to prepare them first.
Above are just an approximate of how long they last. Since you don’t know when the apple was harvested and how long it’s been sitting on the grocery store’s shelves, it’s difficult to point to a set amount of time. After buying the apples, some may last a couple of days and some can last a few weeks.
Varieties Of Apples
The best apples for storing are hardy varieties. This includes Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious.
These varieties are usually harvested during late fall and winter. Also, they are harder and thicker than other varieties of apples.
Most of these varieties are commonly found in the supermarket. Stores like to stock these varieties due to their hardness and long storage life.
Storing Apples At Room Temperature
You can store the apples in a basket on your countertop for decoration purposes. Storing apples at room temperature will depend on how hot the temperature is. The hotter it is, the faster the apple will go bad. On average, storing them at room temperature, apples will last for about a week. If you’re planning to store them this way, make sure to eat the apples or use it within a week’s time.
Another great place to store apples is in the pantry. The pantry is usually dark and cool, which is great for storing apples.
To extend the shelf life of the apples, high humidity will help keep the apples fresher. However, don’t let the fruit get wet or it will rot.
Either you can place the apples in a plastic bag or in a brown paper bag. These will help the apples stay cool and prevent lights from reaching the apples.
Before you store them in the pantry, make sure to sort the bad apples from the good ones. Spoiled apples can spread to the other apples quickly. One bad apple can destroy the entire batch of good apples.
Storing Apples In The Fridge
If you’re planning to keep apples for longer than a month, the fridge is an excellent place to put them. The best place in the fridge to store them is in the crisper drawer. This will keep the apples fresh for a couple of months. Keep in mind when storing apples, you should avoid keeping other products with it. Apples emit ethylene, which can cause other fruits and vegetables to spoil.
If you’re planning to eat the apples within a month, you can just put them a resealable bag or an airtight container and store them in the fridge.
The fridge should be around 32 to 34 degrees for storing the apples. Also, the area where it’s stored should be as dark as possible. If that’s not possible, you can put them in a paper brown bag to help keep them in the dark.
In addition, before storing them in the fridge, make sure to sort the apples first. Remove any apples that are bruised, have broken skin, or have ripened. These apples can containment the other apples in storage and shorten their shelf life.
Can You Freeze Apple?
All varieties of apples can be put in the freezer to freeze. To make them last for longer than a couple of months, you’ll need to prepare them first before freezing them. Below is how you can prepare the apple to be stored in the freezer:
How To Freeze Apple?
- Wash and peel the apples
- Remove the core and slice the apples
- Make a solution of 1 teaspoon of ascorbic acid per 6 tablespoons of water (This will prevent the apple from darkening)
- Take a kitchen brush and brush the apples with the solution.
- Once the solution is dried on the apples, put them in an airtight container or freezer bags.
- Label and date the container or bag and put them in the freezer.
To thaw the apples, simply take them out of the container or bag and leave them at room temperature. It should that in about an hour or less, depending on how warm the room temperature is.
How To Keep Apples Fresh Longer
How long it will stay fresh will depends on when the apple was harvested. Therefore, you should try to buy apples that are close to the date when it was harvested. Also, storing them in the right place will help extend their freshness.
At most grocery stores, apples sold there are hard to determine when it was harvested. Since these apples are picked and processed in large quantities by large corporations, they will usually have a large gap between being harvested and sold on the shelves of stores. Sometimes, the apples are harvested and put on the store’s shelves in a couple of days, while other times, it could be a week or even more. The longer it takes for them to reach the shelves of stores after being harvested, the shorter the time it will have to stay fresh.
Therefore, when buying apples at the store, inspect it carefully by buying only quality apples. Check the apples for any bruises and gently squeeze the apples for firmness. If they are not firm and instead feel soft, the apples are starting to go bad already.
Besides the stores, you can buy apples at the farmer’s market. Fall is usually when apples are harvested and during this time, the farmer’s market will be filled with them. Since apples sold here are sold by individuals or small businesses, apples are usually harvested a day before being sold. Therefore, the quality of the apple you’re getting is high. Buying from the farmer’s market will keep the apples fresh longer.
Other than the stores and farmer’s market, for the best quality apples, you can go to the apple orchards and pick your own apples right off the trees! Picking your own apples will ensure you’re getting the best quality apples, which will make them last fresh longer.
Whether you’re buying or picking your own apples, it’s important to store them properly when you get home. Heat and sunlights shorten the shelf life of the apples so you’ll want to keep them in a cool and dry place. If storing them in the pantry, put them in a plastic bag and away from any sunlight.
Some people like the looks of apples in a basket sitting on the countertop. If so, make sure to keep them away from direct sunlight and they will last longer.
How To Tell If An Apple Is Bad
Apples that are bad can be determined by their appearance. Spoiled apples will have bruises and turn the color brown. Depending on how further along it has been spoiled, it could have bruises in a couple of spots or the entire apple. If it has some bruised spots, it doesn’t mean it’s spoiled yet. On the other hand, if it’s bruised all over the apples with soft spots, you should toss it out.
If the appearance seems fine, cut the apple in half to see the inside. Apples that are bad will have soft and mushy flesh. If there seems to be only a section of the apple that is soft and the other part is firm, it’s still good. Simply cut the mushy part and eat the rest of the apple.
Related Questions
What happens if you eat a bad apple?
In general, eating a spoiled apple will simply cause an upset stomach, diarrhea, and an overall feeling of unease.
Can you get sick from eating a moldy apple?
If it has mold, it will have extremely toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxins. Not only will you get sick, but this can damage your liver as well. Therefore, it’s best when an apple has mold, throw out the entire apple, even if some part of the apple doesn’t have mold.