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Nov 08, 2024

The golden age of apples: How the fruit went from drab to delicious | Here & Now

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For many decades, supermarkets sold just a few varieties of apples. But now, grocery stores carry more than 20 apple varieties throughout the year — twice as many than a decade ago.

There are so many delicious apples now that some call this the golden age of apples.

David Bedford, an apple researcher at the University of Minnesota, works on developing new types of apples.

Before the 1980s, there were usually three varieties of apples available: red, yellow and green. Growing up, Bedford mostly ate the Red Delicious variety and didn’t like apples as a result.

“I really didn't care for apples that much, which is a little ironic for a guy that lives them now. But it almost put me off that pathway for a lifetime,” he says. “I think the American public was much the same as me. We thought apples were good for you, probably kale and Brussels sprouts were too, but it didn't mean we'd like to eat them every day. And so we didn't know what we were missing.”

Researchers studied up to 8,000 varieties of apples before the food industry simplified to just three. Then Honeycrisp hit the scene.

Apple researchers divide the history of apples into two phases: before Honeycrisp and after Honeycrisp.

“Somewhere along the line, we lost the idea, the concept that an apple should be good to eat,” Bedford says. “I think there was this pent-up demand and when Honeycrisp came along, it really sparked something.”

Honeycrisp introduced a whole new texture for apples that people responded to, Bedford says.

When he first tried one, he struggled to fit Honeycrisp in with his picture of what an apple should be. Now, Honeycrisp is one of Bedford’s favorites, along with Sweet Tango and Rave apples.

In developing new types of apples, researchers combine old attributes with new ones, Bedford says.

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“We still need it to grow well and live and be resistant to insects and those sort of things,” he says. “But incorporating these new characteristics really is our goal. And I think the two that we focus on the most in our program are texture and flavor.”

Samantha Raphelson produced and edited this interview for broadcast with Michael Scotto. Allison Hagan adapted it for the web.

This segment aired on November 7, 2024.