Brown Transformation

• Apples, pears and bananas are known for turning brown quickly. These changes begin immediately when fruit is cut and can take as little as a few minutes to as much as several hours to become noticable. Even within certain types of fruit, the variation is great due to different levels of phenols present in the fruit. This difference causes the reaction time for different types of apples, such as Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples, to vary considerably.

Keeping Browning at Bay

• While eating browned fruit does not pose a health risk, it is unappetizing. Use techniques to slow browning so you can prepare cut fruit in advance and still have it look tasty when you serve it later. The method used commercially to stop browning in cut fruit uses ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C. Dissolve a vitamin C tablet in a few cups of water and dunk the cut fruits in it.

Other Acids

• Another way to stop fruit from browning involves adding other acids that halt the enzymatic activity in the fruit. Vinegar, cream of tartar and orange, apple, lime and lemon juice can all stop browning. Submerge cut fruits in a 50 percent water and 50 percent acid solution to slow browning. Soak the fruit for one minute, remove from the solution and allow the fruits to drip dry. Keep the cut fruits in a cool location until ready for use.

Simple Browning Breaker

• Another way to stop browning in its tracks is to prevent oxygen from getting to the cut surfaces of the fruit to stop the reaction of phenols and enzymes with it. Do this by submerging cut fruits in water until they are ready to use. Before use, remove the fruit pieces and drain them or dry them with a paper towel. You can refrigerate cut fruits submerged in water for up to five days.