We’ll soon be in the thick of apple harvest time! What’s the best way to tell if an apple is ripe? The starch-iodine test chart with a ripeness scale of 1-8, as indicated by decreasing starch staining as the apple ripens. There are several ways – 1) change in peel background color from green to yellow, 2) change in peel “overcolor” from green to yellow or red, 3) change in firmness from rock hard to being able to bite without breaking your teeth, 4) change to preferred flavor, which varies from person-to-person, or 5) change in flesh starchiness to sweetness as the starch is converted to sugar. Not all of these methods work for all varieties. Peel background color can be hard to see, overcolor can change when background color is still green, and some apple varieties stay firm or crisp (like Honeycrisp). The Starch Iodine Test As fruit ripen, they lose starch. Change from starchy to sweet is generally a good indicator of ripeness, and is used by many apple growers, along with...
