Washington Apples Facts

General Information

Selection, Storage & Preparation Tips

Grading

Varieties

10 - 12 billion apples are handpicked in Washington State each year.

Each Washington apple is picked by hand. There are no harvest machines to pick apples.

If you put all of the Washington State apples picked in a year side-by-side, they would circle the Earth 12 times.

About 2,500 known varieties of apples are grown in the United States. More than 7,500 are grown worldwide.

In Canada, apples account for about one-fifth of fresh fruit consumption. Each Canadian consumed on average 7.6 kg per person of fresh apples in 2005, up from 6.8 kg in 2004. (Canada food stats, Food Consumption in Canada 2005).

Red Delicious is the apple variety named as favorite by most consumers.

Apples are the largest agricultural product grown in Washington State.

Apples originated in Kazakhstan and were carried east by traders on the Silk Road.

The only apple native to North America is the crabapple.

Apple seeds are like people; you will never get the exact same type of apple from a planted seed.

The Red Delicious apple began life as a chance seedling on an Iowa farm. A chance seedling is a viable apple variety that grows from a seed.

Don’t peel that apple! Two-thirds of the fibre and many of the antioxidants are found in the peel.

Quick Apple Tips

Apple Care and Handling
An apple’s skin should be shiny, not dull. Dull appearing apples won’t be crisp and tasty!
Handle as little as possible to avoid bruising and skin damage. Apples should be firm and free of bruises.

Apple Storage
Apples should be refrigerated at about 0˚C (32°F) - the optimal temperature to keep them fresh and crunchy. Don’t keep your apples in a fruit bowl on the counter– they will lose their crispness!

Apple Preparation
Prepare apple dishes just before serving to minimize browning (oxidation). Protect cut apples from oxidation by dipping them into a solution of one part citrus juice and three parts water.