Washington’s Incredible Long-Lasting Apples

With all due respect to the evergreens, everyone knows that Washington’s official nickname should be the Apple State. For more than 100 years, Washington has been synonymous with the sweetest, crunchiest, highest-quality apples grown anywhere in the world. Washington is home to the Apple Cup, the Apple Blossom Festival, the Apple Capital of the World (Wenatchee), and TikTok’s Apple Queen. Washington has more orchards, more acres, and more trees producing better fruit than any other state in the United States.

Washington farmers harvest 10-12 billion apples every autumn. That’s billion, with a B. And in our state of 7.8 million residents, that means our growers harvest between 1,200 and 1,500 apples for every one of Washington’s residents. Since we don’t all eat fresh apples for every meal, a very small percentage of those apples are eaten fresh by Washingtonians in the fall months. So what happens to all those extra crates of Washington’s most famous fruit?

Modern apples are bred to be long-lasting
The first thing we need to understand is that modern apples are naturally long-lasting — so they don’t all have to be eaten right away after harvest. All apples naturally contain phenolic and antioxidant compounds, which can help slow down the oxidation process and preserve the fruit for longer periods. Apples have a lower moisture content compared with many other fruits, which helps reduce the risk of mold and spoilage. The skin of an apple is relatively thick and acts as a barrier against pathogens and moisture loss, helping to keep the fruit fresh.

But for decades, apple farmers and researchers in Washington have been selectively breeding for apples that last an especially long time. Apple varieties with lower moisture content and thicker skins have been planted more frequently, while apples that get soft or mushy too quickly have fallen out of favor. Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) plant thousands of test trees each year, testing for breeds that look better, taste sweeter, and last longer.

“Different generations (of consumers) look for different things in an apple,” said Dr. Carolina Torres, Endowed Chair in Tree Fruit Postharvest Systems at WSU. “It used to be about how red an apple was, so the Red Delicious apple was very popular for a long time. Today, it is more about looking for sweet, tart, and firm.”

Most are stored and sold in the US all throughout the year
These natural qualities of apples are just the beginning of the story. When you pick up an apple in the grocery store in February and marvel that it is still colorful and crisp more than six months after being picked, that moment is only possible because of scientific advancements in long-term cold storage.

Most Washington apple producers utilize controlled atmosphere (CA) storage, which is a practice where apples go straight from being picked into storage in warehouses that control temperature, humidity, and the concentration of carbon dioxide and oxygen. By perfectly balancing the presence of oxygen and CO2, the apples’ natural ripening process is slowed down considerably. These CA storage facilities can keep apples fresh and delicious for over a year, ensuring that they can supply grocery stores all around the U.S. all year long. You can visit a grocery store in Florida in February and still find fresh Washington apples in the produce section.

“We have to make sure that an apple looks great and tastes great for the period of time after harvest,” said Torres. “When you’re going to store any apple longer than six months, you need to harvest it in a more immature stage. That apple is not ready to eat at harvest, because the changes will happen after the fruit has been stored. They will still be crunchy and delicious.”

Export partners are hungry for Washington apples Washington is the leading producer of apples in the U.S., accounting for 65% of the country’s fresh apple production. Washington apples are exported to over 60 countries, with Mexico, Canada, and countries in Southeast Asia being the top importers. In 2023, Washington exported nearly 5.87 million cartons of apples, which is 28% of the season’s harvest.

“Consumption of apples is increasing a lot in Mexico because we’re looking for things that are the best for our bodies,” said Ernesto Cardona, CEO of Austral Trading in Mexico. “We import more than 45 different varieties of Washington apples. The fruit from Washington is the best fruit, because of the flavor and because you can store it for a while.

Some are turned into other Apple products
Not all apples are destined to be sold in the produce section. Millions of the fruits are turned into apple juice at manufacturers like Tree Top and Neil Jones Food Co. For those looking for hard ciders, Washington ciders like Incline Cider, Schilling Hard Cider, and Tieton Cider Works use local apples to create their brews. Or other apples are turned into applesauce, apple pie filling, apple candies, and many other shelf-stable products.

Apples are an incredible, long-lasting fruit. There’s nothing quite like a fresh apple grown in Washington, and thanks to modern technology and transportation options, consumers around the world can get a taste of Washington all year long.