Keeping cut fruit looking fresh and bright can be a challenge because air will start turning the pieces of fruit brown as soon as you cut them. Home-canned fruit can turn brown, too, and seeing a jar of brown fruit before you open it is not very appetizing. To keep fruit from getting dark, you have to coat it with something to stop the oxidation process.
Brushing
Step 1
Dip a pastry brush in citrus or pineapple juice as soon as you cut the fruit.
Step 2
Brush the juice onto all sides not covered by a peel, or toss the fruit in a thin layer of the juice.
Step 3
Set the fruit aside until you need to use it.
Cover and Soak
Step 1
Mix together water and 1/4 cup citrus juice, cider vinegar or vitamin C preparation in a bowl. Ascorbic acid powder is common; it is available in grocery stores and comes in powder and tablet form. Mash the tablet into powder before mixing it with water. Use 3,000 mg or 1 tsp. to 1 gallon of water, suggests the University of Georgia, but follow the directions on the bottle or packet of the brand you have.
Step 2
Place the cut fruit in the mixture.
Step 3
Drain the fruit and pat it dry with a paper towel when you are ready to serve it.
Freezing
Step 1
Mix ascorbic acid powder with enough water to dissolve it.
Step 2
Add the ascorbic acid powder and water to syrup meant for freezing fruit before you add the fruit, says the Michigan State University Extension.
Step 3
Add the ascorbic acid mixture directly to fruit if freezing without syrup. Add the mixture before adding sugar or packing into freezer containers.
Tips and Warnings
- Try dipping fruit slices in lemon-lime soda. Test a couple of slices to ensure the added sugar or soda flavoring won't affect the flavor of the fruit. Use cut fruit quickly -- within 15 minutes for most fruit and within five minutes for bananas. Leave apple slices in a bowl of apple juice if you don't have citrus juice.
Things You'll Need
- Pastry brush
- Bowls
- Spoons, regular and slotted
- Water
- Lemon, grapefruit, orange, lime or pineapple juice
- Cider vinegar
- Ascorbic acid powder or mix
- Apple juice
- Paper towels
- Lemon-lime soda
References
- Iowa State University Extension; Canning Fruits; September 2001
- Taste of Home: Prevent Bananas From Browning
- RecipeTips.com: Why Fruits and Vegetables Turn Brown
- University of Georgia; Canning Fruit; Elizabeth L. Andress, et al.; July 2010
- University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County; 12 Tasty Salad Toppers; Alice Henneman
- Michigan State University Extension; Keeping Fruit From Darkening; August 1999
Member Comments