If you don't want your apples from browning due to oxidation, cut your apples and wash in salt water. If you don't have salt, you can squeeze a lemon into the water. Your apples will stay crispy, fresh and not brown!
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Does salt water solution help to keep fruit from browning and why? Which is more effective, salt solution or acidic juices?
Rosanne from North Huntingdon, PA
I've never heard of using salt water. It seems that would just be another way to get more unwanted sodium into your diet. I add lemon juice to a bowl of ice water when I'm slicing apples, then I dip the slices in the lemon water and that keeps them from browning.
Yes a soak in salt water helps the browning from happening, although you must rinse off the salt water. Acidid juices do not have to be rinsed off and sometimes can give your fruit a really good flavor. Chefs add lemon to a lot of things to bring out the complex flavors, next time you want to serve apples, try squeezing some grapefruit or tangerine juices over instead, the flavor profile is great!
Good feedback on the salt water with fruit. I can't keep fruit peeled long enough for it to turn brown. You can tell that with only two people in my house not a lot of food is served homemade. I do know that potatoes will turn black looking if you don't cook then right after peeling. Thank goodness Mother taught me to put cold water over potatoes if I wasn't going to slice them right after peeling. Nothing like a dark red/brown or blackened potato to make a person want to go on a diet.
I use orange juice when cutting apples to save for later ,you just drain off the juice when you are ready to serve
Well, I did a science fair project and soaked an apple in salt water for four weeks and it still turned brown, but that's a different matter. Vinegar preserves the looks, but I don't know about the taste.
I'm no expert but I've always seen my mother used lime juice on ground provisions like yams, or potatoes if she is going to store them in freezer. When it comes to cooking for ex. cooking potato, bananas in boiling water a little salt will help keep the food from becoming discolored.
