GOLDEN DELICIOUS
Italian-grown Golden Delicious are available all year round.
The Golden Delicious is one of the most popular varieties with consumers. The name itself is indicative of its main distinctive characteristics: a golden-yellow skin and sweet, scented pulp. With its high sugar levels, it is a favourite among children; it is also an ideal ingredient for cakes and tarts.
THE CALENDAR FOR GOLDEN DELICIOUS VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
Sound, clean and residue-free.
Even colouring and ripeness with marked pores.
Colour
Skin: smooth yellowish-green.
Pulp: whitish.
Shape
Spheric or oblong cone-shaped.
Flavor and texture
Fine, consistent, pulp, that is crisp and juicy
Good sweet-sharpish, aromatic taste
Refraction index
Consumption: >12.5
Storage: 11
Sale period
All year round
Storage
At a temperature of 8-10 C° they can be stored for 120 hours or more from the time of arrival in the warehouse.
The fruit can be stored for long periods at a temperature of -0.5 to +0.5 C°.
Handling
Golden Delicious are quite resistant to handling.
However, great care is required in stacking for display
as this variety is more sensitive to blemishing than the Red Dlicious.
Things to avoid
The display of apples of uneven colour and ripeness.
Note
In particularly wet years, the skin may reveal dark patches
and small blemishes near to the pores.
GRANNY SMITH
Italian-grown Granny Smiths are available from September to May, while foreign imports are on sale during the summer months.
This variety was selected during the early years of the century in the Australian state of New South Wales.
The crisp pulp and sharp refreshing taste has made it a widely popular fruit for fresh consumption and cooking, where it is an irreplaceable ingredient of salads and sorbets.
THE CALENDAR FOR GRANNY SMITH VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
Sound, clean, residue-free fruit.
Evenly ripened and coloured with clearly marked pores
Colour
Skin: shiny intense green, even when fully ripened.
Pulp: white
Shape
Symmetric truncated cone
Flavor and texture
Firm, juicy pulp with characteristic sharp taste
Refraction index
Consumption: 13
Storage: 10
Sale period
From 15 September to 30 May
Storage
At a temperature of 8-10 C° the apples can be stored for 120 hours or more
from the time of arrival in the warehouse.
The fruit can be stored for long periods at a temperature
of -0.5 to + 1. C°.
Handling
This apple is resistant to handling and can be piled for display.
However, care is required when emptying boxes.
Things to avoid
From January/February on, frequent product rotation is advised, as the fruit become prone to deterioration of skin and pulp.
STAYMAN
Italian-grown Stayman apples are available from October to April; in the summer months imported products can be purchased.
This variety can be recognised by its regular spherical shape and the sharpish taste of its crisp pulp.
THE CALENDAR FOR STAYMAN VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
Sound, clean, residue-free fruit, well shaped and developed,
with brownish pores and a short stalk
Colour
Skin: yellow-green, with numerous red streaks (minimum 50%).
Pulp: creamy white
Shape
Spherical, flat and symmetric
Flavor and texture
Firm, crisp, medium juicy pulp.
Sharp but pleasant in flavour. Unique taste.
Refraction index
Consumption: 13 e oltre
Storage: 10-11
Sale period
From 1 October to 30 April
Storage
At a temperature of 8-10 C° the apples can be stored for 120 hours or more
from the time of arrival in the warehouse.
The fruit can be stored for long periods at a temperature
of -0 to + 1 C°.
Handling
This apple is quite resistant to handling
and can be piled for display.
However, care is required when emptying boxes.
Things to avoid
During spring, avoid the sale of overly large apples
as the pulp is prone to softening.
IMPERATORE
Italian-grown Imperatore apples are available for purchase from October to July, while in other months foreign grown imports can be bought. It is easy to recognise, thanks to its waxy, bright red skin. The pulp is fine and medium sweet.
THE CALENDAR FOR IMPERATORE VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
Sound, clean, residue-free fruit.
Marked pores and a long stalk
Colour
Skin: waxy, greenish yellow with widespread patches of compact red (minimum 50%)
Pulp: creamy white
Shape
Spherical, flat and symmetric
Flavor and texture
Fine, even pulp that is slightly or medium juicy, soury sweet, virtually unscented
Refraction index
Consumption: >13
Storage: 10-11
Sale period
From 1 October to 31 July
Storage
At a temperature of 8-10 C° the apples can be stored for 120 hours or more
from the time of arrival in the warehouse.
The fruit can be stored for long periods at a temperature
of -0.5 to +0.5 C°.
Handling
This apple is resistant to handling and can be piled for display.
However, care is required when emptying boxes.
Things to avoid
In Spring the fruit is more perishable. Large orders are therefore not advised.
Note
Some varieties should not be consumed beyond January (Nero Red Rome and Double Red).
The most resistant varieties of the group are Morgenduft and Imperatore.
STARK RED DELICIOUS
Italian grown Stark Red Delicious is available in stores and markets from September through to May, while products from abroad are found during the remaining months of the year.
Bright red in colour, this is the archetypal apple of the collective imagination (the one used by Paris and Snow White). It has a distinctive elongated shape and a sweet floury pulp, which makes it an ideal ingredient for meat dishes and desserts.
THE CALENDAR FOR STARK RED DELICIOUS VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
Sound, clean, residue-free fruit
Well formed and developed
Colour
Skin: red (70%) on a yellow-green base
Pulp: cream white
Shape
Oblong-cone shape with 5 clearly defined lobes
Flavor and texture
Fine, consistent, slightly juicy pulp that is
sweet, scented, tangy and pleasant.
Refractive index
Consumption: 13 e oltre
Storage: 11
Sale period
From 1 September to 31 May
Storage
At a temperature of 8-10 C° they can be stored for 120 hours or more
from the time of arrival in the warehouse.
The fruit can be stored for long periods at a temperature
of -0.5 to +0.5 C°.
Handling
This apple is quite resistant to handling and can be piled for display.
However, care is required when emptying boxes.
Things to avoid
Mixed displays of the diverse varieties belonging to this group,
as each possesses different characteristics
(for example, Starkrimson and Red Chief).
Note
Some cultivars of this group have clearly marked streaks on the skin
(Red Chief, Oregon Spur, etc.); others are evenly coloured
(Starkrimson, Cooper 4, etc.).
OZARK GOLD
THE CALENDAR FOR OZARK GOLD VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
A sound, clean and residue-free fruit.
Homogeneous colouring and ripening.
Colour
Skin: yellow
Pulp: cream-coloured
Shape
Global, conic-trunked
Flavor and texture
Fine, firm pulp, slightly acidic.
Averagely sweet flavour.
Refraction index
Consumption: 11
Sale period
From the beginning of August to mid-October
Storage
At a temperature of 8-10°C, this apple can be
stored for more than 120 hours from arrival
at the warehouse.
Long-term storage temperature may vary between 0 and 1°C.
Handling
Apples that are fairy resistant to handling.
Care should be taken in stacking the fruits due to its
tendency to bruise.
Things to avoid
Avoid sales displays with fruit having excessively
different colours and ripenesses.
GALA
Two of the most wide-spread varieties of the Gala apples are: Mondial Gala and Royal Gala. Both have good organoleptic qualitities and prove to be of particular interest for their high yield and optimal agronomical characteristics, although some colour defects may occur in the plain areas. These apples require a lot of care during the thinning out and pruning phases in order for them to reach a big enough size.
THE CALENDAR FOR GALA VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
Sound, clean, residue-free, well-shaped and developed.
Showing rusty-coloured spots.
Colour
Skin: yellowish-red
Pulp: cream-coloured
Shape
Conic-trunked
Flavor and texture
Fine, juicy and medium-hard pulp.
Slightly aromatic, sweet flavour.
Refraction index
harvested: 12.5
Sale period
From August 20th to February 28th
Storage
At a temperature of 8-10°C, this apple can be
stored for more than 120 hours from arrival
at the warehouse.
Long-term storage temperature may vary between 0 and 1°C.
Handling
Gala apples are fairy resistant to handling and transportation.
CANADIAN RENNET
A variety that is well-known all over the world, The Canadian Rennet has unknown origins and was mentioned for the first time in 1771 by the Frenchman, Andrieux.
Nationally produced Rennet apples are available on the market from October through April.
Its pulp, which is fondant and scarcely juicy, is tastefully acidulous and aromatic: it is indicated in the kitchen for the classical apple pie as well as for fresh consumption.
THE CALENDAR FOR CANADIAN RENNET VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
A large-sized fruit, sound and residue-free.
Homogeneous colouring and ripeness, with
obvious spots.
Colour
Skin: slightly greenish-yellow colour,
with slight red shades by insolation.
Pulp: white creamy colour
Shape
Short conic-trunk or flattened spheroidal shape
Flavor and texture
Fairly tender pulp, fondant and scarcely juicy;
averagely sweet, pleasantly acidulous and scented.
Refraction index
Consumption: 14-16
Sale period
From October 15th to April 15th
Storage
At a temperature of 8-10°C, this apple can be
stored for more than 120 hours from arrival
at the warehouse.
Characterized by a good conservation, the Rennet apples
can be kept for a long period of time at a temperature
that is variable between 3 and 4°C.
Handling
These apples are fairy resistant to handling.
Care should be taken in stacking the fruits for display.
FUJI
Selected in 1939 in the Japanese district of Morioka, the Fuji variety is nowadays widely cultivated in many zones throughout the world (Japan, Korea, New Zealand, United States, Brazil, Argentina, France and Italy), thanks to its high yield and good flavour characteristics.
One particular aspect of this cultivar is that it has excellent qualitative performances even on plains, where the cultivation of apples is less frequent.
The Fuji apple, which is available on the market from October to June, is highly appreciated by the consumer for the sweetness and juiciness of its pulp.
THE CALENDAR FOR FUJI VARIETY
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MINIMUM QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance
Medium-large sized fruits.
Possible appearance on the skin of spotting and browning.
Colour
Skin: from light to dark red, more or less homogeneous,
on a yellow green surface.
Pulp: whitish
Shape
Globish or conic-trunked, more or less oblong.
Flavor and texture
Hard, crunchy and juicy pulp.
Good flavour characteristics: acidulously sweet
and aromatic pulp
Refraction index
Consumption: >14
Sale period
From October 1st to June 30th
Storage
The Fuji apple has optimal storage characteristics.
The storage temperature for long periods varies from 1 to 2°C.
Handling
This fruit is fairy resistant to handling.
Things to avoid
Avoid sales displays with fruit having excessively
different colours and ripenesses.
Notes
During some particularly humid years,
the skin can have spotty parts and small cracks
may form near the spots.
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