HOW TO PICK A GOOD APPLE
Good apples make good chips.
We check the quality of apples, the materials for our products, on a daily basis. An apple which tastes good when eaten raw is, after all, the most important factor for making delicious chips. We evaluate them by the following categories.
COLOR
As a whole, ones in clear and beautiful colors are sweeter and richer in taste. However, those grown with bagging are not as sweet as those grown in a completely natural way without a bag, even though their appearance is great. Those grown without a bag taste better even when their color is not so vivid.
SMELL
Smell of an apple is composed as follows: alcohol (92%), esters (2%), carbonyl compounds (6%), acid (slight amount). A well-ripened one has a characteristic good smell, which is why smelling apples is very important in order to pick a good one.
SIZE AND SHAPE
Extraordinarily large ones are often tasteless, while extremely small ones can be unripened and lacking in sweetness. Well-shaped ones usually taste well-balanced.
WEIGHT
Among those in the same size, heavier ones with a massive feeling is more likely to be well-ripened.
STALK
If the stalk looks fresh, the apple is fresh. But if the stalk is wizened, it is no longer fresh.
COMPOSITION OF AN APPLE
Moisture
Approximately 85 to 86%
Carbohydrate
Sugar accounts for 13 to 15% in most apples. Instead, in an unripened one is starch, the cause of its bitter taste, which breaks down into sugar when the apple gets ripe.
Vitamins
100g of an apple contains 10mg of Vitamin C, more of which is in the exocarp than in the mesocarp. One grown without bagging usually contains more. And the one whose color is clearer and more beautiful has more.
Honeycore (Watercored) apples
When a large amount of sorbitol (a type of sugar) is carried to an apple, sorbitol overflows from the fruit's vascular bundles (the passages through which water and nutrients flow) and accumulates in the spaces between cells that are normally clogged with air. This one is specifically called a honeycore apple, which tastes amazingly sweet, but doesn’t last as long as a normal one.
REFERENCES: Aomori Apple Association (https://aapple.jp/)
- “On the taste of apples and health”
- “Apples -Varieties in Japan and overseas”
APPLE VARIETIES
JONAGOLD
(For “APPLE SNACK RED”)
This is a hybrid variety, crossbred with Golden Delicious and Kougyoku (Jonathan) as parents. Akita Fruit Tree Experiment Station, Japan introduced this variety from the United States in 1970. This round/oval, orange-red apple weighs approximately 0.55 to 0.77lb (250 to 350g) and its harvest season is the second half of October. Its sourness is milder than Jonathan and tastes very nice. In Japan, the production of this variety has been growing as a good substitute for Jonathan. This tends to take on much lipids on the surface.
SUN TSUGARU
(For “APPLE SNACK RED”)
Tsugaru apple was created after Golden Delicious was mixed with an unknown variety. Some of Tsugaru apples are tenderly grown without bagging and get ripe with plenty of sunshine. These Tsugaru apples are specifically called “Sun Tsugaru”. This sport of Tsugaru is known as a representative early variety, which is harvested in mid-September. The weight ranges from 0.55 to 0.77lb (from 250 to 300g), and the flesh has a pleasantly crispy texture with plenty of juice.
ORIN
(For “APPLE SNACK GREEN”)
This apple is a cross between Golden Delicious and Indo. This name was given in 1952 by its creator, Tadanosuke Otsuki (from Kuori, Date-gun, Fukushima prefecture, Japan). Its pulp is dense and succulent, and its flavor is distinctive with mild sourness, rich sweetness and elegant fragrance.
KIO
(For “APPLE SNACK GREEN”)
A variety that originated in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, whose parents are Orin and Hatsuaki. This Japanese name Kioh means “Yellow King” (“Ki” for “yellow” and “o” for “king”), as this shines in elegant yellow and one of its parents is Ohrin (“O” for “king” and “rin” for “apple”). The weight ranges from 0.66 to 0.88lb (from 300 to 400g), the flesh is white to yellowish white. As for its taste, the acidity is mild, while the sweetness is prominent. Highly regarded for its richness in flavor, juiciness and mouthfeel.
TOKI
(For “APPLE SNACK GREEN”)
This one is estimated to be a hybrid of Orin and Fuji. The average weight is around 1lb (between 450 and 500g). Its pale yellow pulp is very rich in juice and its smell, tooth touch and mouthfeel are all great, too. Furthermore, one of the most remarkable things about the taste of this variety is a brilliant balance of sweetness and sourness. Its sweetness is even more prominent than sourness. The bittersweet smell, characteristic of apples, is particularly notable as well.
MIKI LIFE
(For “APPLE SNACK ORANGE”)
A variety cultivated in the Ishikawa area of Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, crossed with Chiaki and Tsugaru. The harvest period starts from late August. The average one weighs around a half pound (between 240 and 280g) The flesh is medium in hardness and rich in juice. The body is rather small , but its firm taste of sweetness and sourness is very refreshing.
FUJI
(For “APPLE SNACK ORANGE”)
A hybrid variety whose parents are Red Delicious and Kokko (Ralls Janet). Its usual weight is between 0.66 and 0.88lb (300 and 400g), and its pulp has luxurious sweetness and a brisk texture. Plus, it lasts long, too! One of the most remarkable things about this apple is its yield, by far the best in Japan, which is why this one is a superstar among Japanese brands. This name is said to be derived from Fujisaki, Aomori prefecture, Japan, its growing location, and Mt. Fuji, one of the most renowned symbols of Japan.
WASE FUJI (Early Fuji)
(For “APPLE SNACK ORANGE”)
Some of the Fuji apples can get ripe earlier than others. Such early varieties as Fuji sports are specifically called “Wase Fuji”. Its taste is of course based on that of normal Fuji, and the balance of its sweetness and sourness is very unique and amazingly sensitive.
KOGYOKU (Jonathan)
(For “APPLE SNACK PINK”)
This one is often used for processing to make baked sweets such as apple pie. The Japanese name Kougyoku means “Crimson Jewelry”. As it suggests, this is a shiny deep red apple in a relatively small body. The harvest season is from early to mid October. The flesh is finely textured, with an acid-sweet taste, a refreshing aroma and a juicy mouthfeel.
SANSA
(For “APPLE SNACK PINK”)
This apple is crossbred with Gala and Akane as parents. It is an early variety whose harvest season starts at the end of summer. Its weight ranges mostly between 0.44 and 0.55lb (200 and 250g). The flesh is rich in sour-sweet juice.
AKANE
(For “APPLE SNACK PINK”)
This is a cross between Jonathan and Worcester Pearmain. Its harvest season is the first half of September and the weight is mostly between 0.44 and 0.55lb (200 and 250g). The pulp is white and tight and tastes a little sourer and lighter than others. Its color is vivid and brilliant, and gets dark red as it goes riper.