A Longitudinal Study Observing the Effectiveness of Conventional Preserving Methods through Mold Coverage and Rotting in Apple Slices

Abstract

Throwing out old, rotten fruits are thought to cost the average person upwards of $500 per year, often exacerbated due to lack of using effective preservation methods. ¹ Currently, a lack of conclusive research exists within this area, as most research on fruit rotting or decay has been observed in habitats outside of pedestrian homes. ² To remedy this lack of knowledge, the paper investigates fruit rotting by preserving apple slices in the kitchen with the following conventional methods: salted, vacuum sealed, boiled and unaltered for control. Four-day interval observations were used over a total of nine days, holding a consistent refrigerator temperature without significant alterations in placement of the samples within the fridge, allowing us to adequately observe the level of rotting and microorganism mould growth on the apple slices. Overall, the results show a statistically significant ( p < 0.05) increase in mould growth in the salted group ( M = 76.7, SD = 15.28) when compared to the other groups, while the three other treatment group’s mould growth and fruit rotting efficacy were observed to not be significantly different ( p > 0.05). In addition, while no conclusive method of fruit preservation is shown to be the most optimal in this study, several limitations are identified, emphasized, and addressed, and future directions in furthering this study are discussed.