How to store apples?

  • Apples should be stored in a cool but frost-free place (one to three degrees Celsius are ideal).
  • Apples should be placed on a smooth surface, for example on newspapers, without touching the surrounding apples. Please remember that the stem has to be down and the dried up calyx has to be up.
  • Please do not forget to check apples regularly (about once a week). Remove defective apples immediately, so that their neighbours won’t be contaminated.
  • By and large, apples can be stored for a long time, some varieties even until late winter. You can best store them in cool cellars or in the fridge. Raw apples shouldn’t be freezed, but apple puree or compote can be put in the freezer for about 8-12 months.

What to keep in mind when buying apples?

Apples should be firm, smooth and without any bruises. These are indications for freshness and good storage. Another aspect of a high quality apple is the calyx: if it is sunk, the apple was harvested when ripe. Moreover, you should sniff the apple. If it smells like an apple, it will also taste like one. The colour of an apple doesn’t give us much information about the ripeness of an apple as some varieties – such as Granny Smith – are grass-green even when they are perfectly ripe.

How to wash and peel apples?

The content of vitamins and mineral substances in the apple peel is seven times higher than the one in the flesh. This is why apples should possibly be eaten with the peel but don’t forget to wash them under lukewarm water. After washing the apples you can dry them with kitchen paper.

Apple varieties

More than 20,000 apple varieties are known worldwide. Only a fractional part is cultivated in our area. Even well-assorted supermarkets only offer six or seven different varieties. The needs of the trade limit the apple varieties available that are offered. We try to find varieties that best suit the needs of our producers, the trade and our end consumers.

Every variety has its history

Apple varieties are the result of random seedlings, selection or specific crosses of varieties. VI.P and its producers are strictly against the genetically modified development of varieties. All apple trees are chosen according to the climate and soil conditions of the relative field in order to get the best possible results.

What is an apple cutter?

Wash the apple and then put it onto an insensitive surface such as a cutting board. Put the apple cutter (we suggest you the apple cutter produced by Westmark Divisorex) as horizontally as possible on the apple and make sure that the core is in the middle. Then push down the apple cutter. Once you have pushed the apple cutter through the apple, you can remove the single pieces. The apple cutter can be compared to a multi-edged knife and has to be used carefully!

Why are apples so healthy?

The apple is a perfect example for a very nutritious fruit. Apples contain many mineral substances such as potassium, calcium and sodium as well as a variety of vitamins including folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E as well as B vitamins. As all fruit and vegetables, apples also contain secondary plant products. The substances have an antioxidant effect and help the body to detoxify. Moreover, it is assumed that these substances might be able to protect you from cancer. And let’s not forget about dietary fibres that favour digestion.

What is taste determined by?

Taste depends on the sugar acid ratio. This does, however, not mean that a sweet apple automatically contains more sugar. The sugar content is similar in most apples, but an apple with an acidulous taste has a higher acid content, which is reduced during the storage: thus, the apple becomes sweeter and the flesh can get floury.

Why are some parts of apples red and others green?

This depends on where the apple ripens on the tree. If the fruit hangs on the sunny side of the tree, the red is more intense. If the fruit is inside or on the northern side of the tree, it remains greenish. The colour of apples is very much influenced by the sun but the range of temperature between day and night also influences the colouring. This is the reason why our apples have a more intense colour than apples from other production areas.

What distinguishes a Val Venosta apple from apples from other production areas?

Colour, flavour, taste and crunchiness are characterized by the unique climate and soil conditions. Val Venosta can boast more than 300 sunny days and app. 2,000 sunny hours a year. The great range of temperature between day and night favours the development of fructose and is responsible for the attractive red colour. Just take a bite and taste the difference.

What does PGI mean?

Since June 2005, eleven of the apple varieties cultivated in South Tyrol have been able to boast the precious PGI designation. The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is a quality certificate of the European Union that guarantees a close link between the origin of apples and their quality. As a result, the unique product characteristics have to be typical for the region of origin. Val Venosta apples are such regional specialities: they are produced according to local traditions, in a microclimate which can’t be found anywhere else.
The best of all South Tyrolean apples ripen in Val Venosta: they ripen slowly, in the raw mountain air with high sugar levels and a nice colour. The European quality certificate is a deserved reward for the decades-long efforts of the farmers from Val Venosta and a testimony that our extraordinarily crunchy apples are really unique worldwide.

How can I recognize a Val Venosta apple?

If you want to be sure to buy a Val Venosta apple, you should pay attention to the “Val Venosta” or “Bio Val Venosta” labels. These labels are a guarantee of origin and quality of our apples.

How are apples stored in the cooperatives?

We store our apples with the help of the most modern storage technologies. Four parameters play an important role in this context: storage cell temperature, humidity, oxygen content and carbon dioxide content. The temperature in the storage cells is reduced to 1 – 2° Celsius. The humidity is more than 95%. The oxygen content is reduced to 0.5 – 1.5% and the carbon dioxide content is limited to 1 – 2%. This technique allows us to store our apples for up to 12 months. The apple falls in some kind of hibernation and remains fresh for a long time – just like freshly harvested. Without any additional chemical substances!

What is the size of apples determined by?

The fruits that grow on our trees are very different as far as quality, colour and size are concerned. During the sorting process all apples are sorted according to specific characteristics to form homogeneous groups. Thus, all apples of the same pack are identical. There are no typical large or typical small apples, even though some varieties tend to produce larger or smaller fruits.

Do you have questions?

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