The Fruit Growers News

To keep the customers coming back, Washington has increased the brix standards on early Red Delicious apples and created entirely new standards for Gala and Jonagold apples. Aiming for better early apples, the new rule raises minimum sugar levels 10% for Red Delicious varieties shipped before Oct. 1. The measures enacted by the state’s department of agriculture increase the amount of sugar in Red Delicious apples marketed before Oct. 1 of each crop year and establish minimum firmness standards for Gala and Jonagold apples. In response to grower and association efforts the Washington State Department of Agriculture adopted the two rules May 23 that raise the minimum sugar levels in Red Delicious to 11% and put in place the first firmness requirements for the state’s Gala and Jonagold varieties. The standards take effect Aug. 1. The Red Delicious standards increase the amount of sugar that must be in Red Delicious apples marketed before Oct. 1 of each crop year. Soluble solids requirements are increased from 10%-11%. “These rules are a step in the right direction to provide consumers with a better tasting apple,” said Jim Quigley, manager of the agency’s Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Program.
The new Gala and Jonagold rules calls for both varieties to have 11 pounds of firmness year round. This is the first time firmness standards have been set for any of Washington’s apple varieties other than Red Delicious and Golden Delicious. The changes to the varieties provide consumers with a firmer, crisper apple, according to Quigley.
Higher standards for Reds harvested prior to Oct. 1 (the general release date) should supply the consumer with a sweeter apple, said Quigley. The new regulations may encourage some growers to harvest later. “The change is really going to supply a uniform apple with a stable and crispy taste on a year round basis,” said Quigley. “I hope that the consumer will realize that we’ve taken a step toward providing a fresher apple,” he said. The Washington State Horticultural Association initiated the recent implementation of apple standards designed to increase consumer appeal of Washington-grown apples. Jim Hazen, executive director of the association said that the process of improving grade standards started with the group’s grade and pack committee. The process began nearly two years ago when the committee began looking at the varieties and setting new standards. They decided that they needed to develop a research project to look at what elements of apple taste consumers equate with a really good apple, said Hazen. With funding from the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and Washington Apple Commission (WAC) they began to determine what the key consumer apple edibility factors were. Just a year into the research, the committee has begun to see proof that they needed to change the brix and fruit standards. In an effort to keep early season apples the best they can be, the committee set the 11% minimum brix level for fruit shipped before Oct. 1. While the fruit has to meet that threshhold to be shipped before that date, after that the sugar requirement goes away, according to Hazen. The driving factor behind the committee’s work was looking at those traits that will increase consumption and generate repeat sales, Hazen said. “I really have to hand it to the committee, they handled it very well by looking at consumer preference and characteristics. Uniform taste is extremely important for meeting the demand,” said Hazen. “Consumers are becoming much more sophisticated in that they have a myriad of choice. “The committee said, we are a quality producer now but how can we be better in the future,” said Hazen. “Given the choices that consumers have just on the produce side, you want to make sure that the apple eating experience is a positive one and will drive them to come back for more.” Other state commissions’ reactions to the changes have been varied. Michigan Apple Committee’s Mark Arney said that Michigan growers rely on USDA grades and retailer feedback to deliver quality apples to market. The standards aren’t an issue, said Arney. Michigan’s shippers supply fruit to retailers under USDA’s Fancy and Extra Fancy grades at a minimum, he said. “All of our shippers seldom ship at grade because of the requirements of the retailers,” he said. “Most of the time we will ship above grade because the markets demands a better quality apple from shippers.” Michigan doesn’t have its own apple grade. While Washington has a different grade, so much of that is academic because the retailer demands are above what USDA requires, he said. In New York, shippers who use the Apple Country Brand logo must meet higher pressure standards for their fruit, said Jim Allen, executive director of the New York Apple Association. Otherwise, shippers rely on the USDA standards. “We need to increase take home quality of apples in stores across the United States,” said Allen. “They have had the ability to improve their standards and I give them credit for their efforts.” New York continues to wrestle to improve their standards. “We haven’t been as successful as Washington state has, but they have a few inherent advantages,” said Allen. State inspectors will monitor testing at each packing shed to ensure compliance. The state of Washington has a team of inspectors who work around the entire industry and if the apples don’t meet the standards, they aren’t shipped, according to the WAC. Public comment on the rules was taken at hearings in April held in Yakima and Wenatchee. For a copy of the rules, contact the Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Program, Washington State Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA, 98504-2560 or e-mail your request to jquigley@agr.wa.gov.