"Acidity of Honeycrisp – Key to Eating Quality and Competitiveness of Northeastern Apple Growers"

View the project report

Commodities

• Fruits: apples

Practices

• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research

Consumers have complained about ‘bland’ Honeycrisp apples, limiting expansion of the variety in a highly competitive apple market. Limited research in WA has shown that higher acidity at harvest will result in better flavor after storage. In this study, we will sample fruit from a range of orchard blocks and separate them into low, medium and high acidity categories. At least three orchard blocks will be used per category. Acidity will be measured two ways – 1. The formal titratable acidity measurement that is time consuming, and 2. A newly acquired acidity meter that can assess samples quickly. In addition, fruit at harvest will also be treated or not treated with an inhibitor of ethylene production that slows down the rate fruit ripening. The fruit will be stored at the standard storage temperature of 38^oF for up to 90 days. Changes of acidity in fruit from each of these categories will be measured at 30-day intervals during storage. Quality as well as informal and formal sensory evaluations (appearance, texture, mouth feel, juiciness, and overall acceptability) will be assessed after 90 days of storage.  Formal analyses will be carried out in Ithaca, while informal analyses will be carried out with growers and storage operators. If the higher acidity fruit has superior quality to the other two groups, outreach will consist of recommendations to initiate similar testing in other HC-growing regions outside of Western NY. Following confirmation of similar findings, this information will be shared in fruit industry conferences and extension publications.

This project seeks to measure the acidity of Honeycrisp and correlate high acid levels at harvest with very good to excellent eating quality after storage. In this study, we will sample fruit from a range of orchard blocks and separate them into low, medium and high acidity categories. At least three orchard blocks will be used per category. Acidity will be measured two ways – 1. The formal titratable acidity measurement that is time consuming, and 2. A newly acquired acidity meter that can assess samples quickly. In addition, fruit at harvest will also be treated or not treated with an inhibitor of ethylene production that slows down the rate fruit ripening. The fruit will be stored at the standard storage temperature of 38^oF for up to 90 days. Changes of acidity in fruit from each of these categories will be measured at 30-day intervals during storage. Quality as well as informal and formal sensory evaluations (appearance, texture, mouth feel, juiciness, and overall acceptability) will be assessed after 90 days of storage. Outreach will consist of recommendations in fruit industry conferences and extension publications.