Ribston Pippin

All of the apple varieties grown commercially are used to some extent in processed products. Some varieties, such as York Imperial, are grown almost exclusively for processing. Only sound, ripe fruit should be used for processed products. Processing quality can be affected by decay, damage, maturity, firmness, color, soluble solids, acids, and other chemical compounds, such as tannins, 1478_C18. fm Page 461 Thursday, July 15, 2004 10:01 AM Copyright 2005 by CRC Press LLC 462 Processing Fruits: Science and Technology, Second Edition contained in the fruit (Downing, 1989).

In one study (Harper and Greene, 1993) of price discounts and premiums for three processing apple cultivars, it was determined that discounts were statistically significant for fruit size, bruising, bitter pit, decay, misshapen apples, and internal breakdown. Insect damage and apple scab did not result in significant price discounts. The cultivar used in processing will be dictated to some degree by the quality of the product to be produced. Many of the apples that have some imperfections, such as skin blemishes or off shapes rendering them undesirable for the fresh market, are utilized by processors. These are perfectly good quality apples and are in high demand.

An average of about 20% of the Delicious and other fresh market apples are processed. Varieties such as Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, Granny Smith, McIntosh, and others may have more than 20% of the volume diverted to processing. Delicious apples that are firm, sweet, and juicy yield a good volume of high quality juice. Although sauce can be produced using Delicious apples the product would not be of good quality, particularly in relation to texture and color. The applesauce yield is less with the Delicious apple due to the thicker skin that results in greater loss during peeling. Golden Delicious on the other hand not only makes a good quality juice but produces a high quality sauce and sliced processed product. Cultivars utilized in processed products are determined by availability of the raw product, quality of the product produced, and market demand from the region grown. Apples may be grown specifically for processing, a practice common among orchards in the Eastern U. S. , but most apples sold to the processor are salvaged from fruit grown for the fresh market. Production costs for processing apples have been reported to be lower than costs for fresh market apples (Childers, 1983). This is not necessarily true.

Because a premium price is paid for large, bruise-free apples delivered to the processor, growers must give full attention to the cultural management details similar to those given apples grown for the fresh market. Production practices for apples vary with the climate and soils in which they are grown. Space does not permit a detailed description of these practices. Interested readers are referred to several of the many books by Childers (1983), Tukey (1978), and Westwood (1978). Plus extension publications available: Heinicke (1975) Lord and Costante (1977), Forshey (1980 and 1981), Swales (1971), and U. S. Department of Agriculture Farmers Bulletin No. 1897 (1972). Apples for processing should be harvested at optimum maturity for good fresh market storage and handling.