Fresh or Bottled Juice

• Both fresh and bottled lemon juice work well to prevent browning. Lemons are best used with fruits that benefit from the addition of a light citrus flavor, such as apples. Bottled juice is simpler to measure out and you can store it for a long period of time. If you use fresh lemons, squeeze the juice out into a small bowl before you begin so you can measure it accurately. If you want to avoid a flavor change, use ascorbic acid crystals instead of lemon juice. These are available where canning and preserving supplies are sold.

Lemon Wash Preparation

• To successfully prevent browning, you must use enough lemon juice so the acid level is high enough to slow the enzyme reaction in the fruit. Diluting 3 tablespoons of lemon juice in 1 quart of water is sufficient for most fruits. Mix the wash together in a nonreactive bowl, using cold water so the fruits stay crisp. You can double or triple the amount of wash if you are preparing a large amount of fruit at once.

Lemon Bath

• Keep the bowl of lemon wash nearby when you begin peeling and slicing the fruit. Peel, seed and slice once piece of fruit at time, submerging the pieces in the lemon wash as soon as you cut them. The more quickly you begin soaking the fruit, the less likely they are to brown. You can soak the fruits for a few minutes or dip them in briefly, as desired. The fruit will brown more slowly as long as all cut edges are coated in the lemon wash.

Storage Tips

• To further prevent browning, drain and wrap the fruit tightly in plastic wrap before storing if you are serving it right away. Fruit is less likely to brown if it is protected from air exposure. You can also leave firm fruit slices submerged in the lemon wash. Simply cover the container and place it in the refrigerator. If you are preparing fruit for freezer storage, drain and dry it well before packaging it for the freezer.