Apples to Get Much Longer Shelf Life

This week, Australian scientists at the Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries have finalized the development of an apple with the fruit’s longest-ever shelf life. The red apple, called RS103-130, can stay “crispy” for up to two weeks outside the fridge and up to four months in the refrigerator. The new apple also can resist apple scab, a fungus that attacks both the apple fruit and their trees. “This new variety is sweet,” said Tim Mulherin, Queenland’s primary industries minister. “It ticks the other boxes too because it is disease-resistant, so requires few or no fungicides. Initial taste tests have been outstanding. Out of the five apple types tasted, the new variety scored the highest.” Because the apple doesn’t require pesticide treatments, the cost of production is brought down drastically. “If you’re an apple grower and this [new apple] lives up to its promise, then it really is quite a breakthrough,” said Dez Barbara, a senior research scientist at the University of Warwick’s Horticulture Research International.