| When buying apricots, always look for those that are | | | | polyphenoloxidase, so you can slow down this reaction |
| firm, plump orange fruit that gives slightly when you | | | | (but do not stop it completely) by dipping raw sliced |
| press with your thumb. Bruised apricots should be | | | | and/or peeled apricots into a solution of lemon juice or |
| avoided. Like apples and potatoes, apricots contain | | | | vinegar and water or by mixing them with citrus fruits |
| polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that combines with | | | | in a fruit salad. Polyphenoloxidase also works more |
| phenols in the apricots to produce brownish pigments | | | | slowly in the cold, but storing peeled apricots in the |
| that discolor the fruit.When apricots are bruised, cells | | | | refrigerator is much less effective than an acid bath.To |
| are broken, releasing the enzyme so that brown spots | | | | peel apricots easily, drop them into boiling water for a |
| form under the bruise. Avoid apricots that are hard or | | | | minute or two, then lift them out with a slotted spoon |
| mushy or withered. All are less flavorsome than ripe, | | | | and plunge them into cold water. As with tomatoes, |
| firm apricots, and the withered ones will decay quickly. | | | | this works because the change in temperature |
| Also avoid greenish apricots as they are low in | | | | damages a layer of cells under the skin so the skin |
| carotenes and will never ripen satisfactorily at | | | | slips off easily.If you are wondering what actually |
| home.Always try to store ripe apricots in the | | | | happened when you cook apricots, cooking dissolves |
| refrigerator and use them within a few days. Apricots | | | | pectin, the primary fiber in apricots, and softens the |
| do not lose their vitamin A in storage, but they are | | | | fruit. But it does not change the color or lower the |
| very perishable and rot fairly quickly.When you peel or | | | | vitamin A content because carotenes are impervious |
| slice an apricot, you tear its cells walls, releasing | | | | to the heat of normal cooking.Cindy is the host of a |
| polyphenoloxidase, an enzyme that reacts with | | | | Free Asian Recipes website dedicated to all things on |
| phenols in the apricots, producing brown compounds | | | | Asian Cooking and Culinary Guide. |
| that darken the fruit. Acids inactivate | | | | |