Apples

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Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28548387@N00/874613519/

According to popular belief, Sir Isaac Newton thought of the Universal Law of Gravitation when sitting under an apple tree and an apple fell on his head [3].

Apples are considered the most valuable food horticulture crop in BC, occupying 75% of BC's orchard land [7].

Scientific Names: Malus pumila and Malus domestica (part of the Rosaceae family) [4]

Cultivars grown at UBC Farm:

Adam’s Pearmain
Akane
Alexander
Ashmead’s Kernel
Belle de Boskoop
Blenheim Orange
Bramley’s Seedling
Carmeliter Reinette
Chehalis
Cornish Gilliflower
Cox’s Queen Pippin
Cox’s Orange Pippin
Dayton
Dolgo Crab
Duchess of Oldenburg
Epicure
Esopus Spitzenburg
Fameuse
Florina
Golden Russet
Gravenstein
Grimes Golden
Honeycrisp
Hudson’s Golden Gem
Jaegher’s Reinette
Jefferis
John Downie Crab
Jonafree
Jonathan
Kidd’s Orange Red
King of Tompkin’s County
Liberty
Lord Lambourne
Margil
Northern Spy
Nova Easygro
Oaken Pin
Orenco
Orin
Peasgood Nonsuch
Pitmaston Pineapple
Poppy’s Wonder
Priam
Prima
Priscilla
Pristine
Saint Edmund’s Pippin
Schmidtbergers Rote Reinette
Spartan
Spigold
Strathcona Russet (likely a Golden Russet)
Sundance
Transparent
Tydeman’s Late Orange
Vanderpool Red
Wealthy
Winesap
Winston
Wolf River
York Imperial

Years grown at UBC Farm/LFSOG: orchards put in at 2006, first production in fall of 2009

Growing conditions

Apples are one of the fruits most widely grown around the world, but production is mainly concentrated in the Northern hemisphere. [1] They are grown in orchards, where the trees are cross-pollinated. Once apple flower blooms, beehives are placed in the field to ensure pollination [7]. Note that bees are very sensitive to pesticides, therefore spraying is prohibited during this period.

Apples do not grow well in areas of extreme temperature (very hot or very cold), requiring a combination of warm days and cool nights. Strong winds can blow blossoms and apples off of their trees. [1]

Once the fruits are well shaped, having developed juicy flesh and appropriate colour, they are ready to be harvested [7].

Seasonality

Apples of many different varieties are available all year round, but their peak season is from August to October, sometimes November [1][7].

Storage Methods

Depending on cultivar, apples should be refrigerated at 1 to 4 Celsius [4], since low temperatures slow down ripening of the fruits. A relative humidity of about 90% is optimal for apple storage [1a]. This environment reduces moisture loss, slows down respiration rate, and supress growth of any possible growth of food-spoiling microorganisms. Note that misting may give bacteria and fungi chances to grow, therefore misting of apple should be avoided [1a].

Apples to be used for processing can be stored under controlled atmosphere storage at a modified atmosphere (2 – 3% oxygen and 1- 4% carbon dioxide); these can be stored for four to six months before being taken out from the fridge. Apples are then to be “normalized” for a few days before processing [2].

Nutritional Information

Important Nutrition Information

Apples are high in:

dietary fiber
potassium
phosphorus
calcium
ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

Nutrition Facts/Valeur Nutritive
Serving Size: 138 g
Amount Per Serving	%Daily Value*
Calories 72
Total Fat 0.24g	0%
Saturated Fat	0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0g	0%
Sodium 1mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 19g	6%
Dietary Fiber 2.6g	10%
Sugars 14g
Protein 360mg
Vitamine A	0%
Vitamine C	64%
Calcium	0%
Iron	0%
* % Daily value based on a 2000 calorie diet

Information based on Canadian Nutrient File [5][6]

Recipes

Apple varieties used for different culinary uses:

Applesauce or Canning: Golden Delicious, Paula Red, Rhode Island, Greening and Spartan.
Baked: Braeburn, Gala, Gravenstein, Rome Beauty and York Imperial.
Pies: Granny Smith, Jonagold, Macintosh, Northern Spy, Romes and Winesap.
Raw: Baldwin, Braeburn, Cortland, Criterion, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Jonagold, Jonathan, Lady Apple, Macoun, Macintosh, Newton Pippin, Northern Spy, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, Rhode Island Greening, Stayman, Winesap, and York Imperial.

Recipes and other culinary uses for apples are listed below:

Academic connections

LFS Orchard Garden, a site for learning and education, is located in the historic UBC apple orchard. The history of the garden inspired the garden's name.
UBC Farm planted an apple orchard in 2008. The orchard has many heritage varieties that are studied by several UBC courses.

References

1. Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association. (2004) Apple Growing Areas. Retrieved on March 25 2010 at http://www.nsapples.com/teacher/t4gareas.htm,

1a. Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association.(2004) Storage and Display. Retrievedd on April 2, 2010 at http://www.nsapples.com/display.htm

2. Seasonal Recipes.com.(2002) Apple Season, Apple Recipes. Retrieved on March 25 2010 at http://www.seasonalrecipes.com/season/apples.php

3. Astronomy 161: The Solar System. (2010) Sir Isaac Newton: The Universal Law of Gravitation. Retrieved March 26 2010 from http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/newtongrav.html

4. Root, W.H. & Barrett, D.M. (2005) Processing Fruits. Retrieved March 25, 2010 from CRCnetbase: http://www.crcnetbase.com

5. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2010). Canadian food inspection agency. Retrieved from http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml

6. Health Canada. (2010). Nutrient data. Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/fiche-nutri-data/index-eng.php

7. BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. (2010) Apple. Retrieved from http://www.al.gov.bc.ca/aboutind/products/plant/apple.htm

Additional Notes

The beehives at UBC farm aid in pollination of many crops, and are there for research and educational purpose. (Amy Frye, UBC Farm Marketing Coordinator, personal communication, April 6, 2010)

More Canadian breed cultivars can be viewed.

See CFIA- Apple for the complete list.