Apples are an adaptable fruit that have the power to alter various food products. There are many varieties of apples and the ratio of sweetness to tartness can be utilized in many formulas.
Tartness vs Sweetness
Each apple variety has a unique ratio of tartness (titratable acidity) and sweetness (brix). These attributes can be advantageous when striving for a certain flavor profile. If the goal is to increase sweetness, the Fuji apple has a naturally high brix level. On the other hand, if you don’t want to increase the sweetness but the tartness, the Granny Smith would provide the sour flavor without altering the brix significantly.
Application
Apples can be the perfect base in many applications. Because many varieties of apple have a neutral flavor, if you are targeting a certain brix level, tartness or pH it can be achieved with the apple.
In juices, the addition of apple juice or apple juice concentrate can increase the sweetness significantly. For purees, another fruit can be used for flavor, but most of the sweetness can come from apple. Recently I formulated a strawberry base with a target brix level of 12, I achieved this by adding in apple puree concentrate because the brix level of strawberry puree is approximately 8. The strawberry flavor was dominate but the addition of the apple created a sweeter, more desirable flavor. Another example of the utilization of apple is in formulas that need to be at a certain pH. I will add apple to another more basic fruit to bring the pH down without the addition of other acids. This concept can help one avoid an overly tart formula or give flexibility of the ingredient statement requirements. Dried apple can not only change the attributes of sweetness, tartness and pH but also contribute to a desired texture. Because dried apple comes in so many forms it can be utilized in countless applications.
Tree Top produces a wide array of healthful fruit products from purees and juices to dried apples. To learn more about our product offerings, explore our products section. If you’d like more information about how the Tree Top R&D team can help you with development and research, contact our fruit ingredient experts at (800) 367-6571 ext. 1435.
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