# What are the brown splotches inside my apples? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brown-splotches-inside-my-apples/510753 "2009-09-19T22:30:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fang)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brown-splotches-inside-my-apples/510753/1 "2009-09-19T22:30:01Z")
I bought some honeycrisp apples today, cut open the first one and saw the brown splotches in [this picture](http://imgur.com/wojRS.jpg) (they look browner in real life, somewhat reddish in the picture due to the flash). I cut in at several points and saw the same thing. I didn’t eat it since that sort of freaked me out. I also cut open another one, ate a bit, then noticed on my next slice that the second one contains some of these brown patches as well (but smaller and fewer). What are these? Are the apples OK to eat? The patches don’t have any particular texture, maybe a bit softer than the rest of the apple but not really. It smells normal and the outside looks fine. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brown-splotches-inside-my-apples/510753/2 "2009-09-19T22:45:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Internal browning, thought to result from CO2 injury, has been reported in Fuji, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Braeburn and Jonathan apples. The disorder is associated with later harvested, large, and overmature fruit and with CO2 concentrations in storage. Higher concentrations of CO2 result in greater incidence and severity of internal browning. Incidence and severity of this disorder varies season to season and orchard to orchard. The reasons for this variability are unknown but some have suggested an association with cool, wet weather and high nitrogen fertilization [http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/Disorders/apple/pdapintern.shtml](http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/Disorders/apple/pdapintern.shtml) I thought Honeycrisp became popular because it stored well, however U Minn. claims it _is_ susceptible to internal browning: [http://smfarm.cfans.umn.edu/honeycrisp.htm](http://smfarm.cfans.umn.edu/honeycrisp.htm) Your apples were likely stored improperly; at the orchard, in transit, or at the store. ---
**Author:** ![Fang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fang)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brown-splotches-inside-my-apples/510753/3 "2009-09-20T00:08:46Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > [http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/Disorders/apple/pdapintern.shtml](http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/Disorders/apple/pdapintern.shtml) > I thought Honeycrisp became popular because it stored well, however U Minn. claims it _is_ susceptible to internal browning: > [http://smfarm.cfans.umn.edu/honeycrisp.htm](http://smfarm.cfans.umn.edu/honeycrisp.htm) > > Your apples were likely stored improperly; at the orchard, in transit, or at the store. Interesting, thanks for the quick response. Do you think these are safe to eat or should I throw them out? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brown-splotches-inside-my-apples/510753/4 "2009-09-20T00:40:02Z")
Sure, they’re safe to eat. They’ll just get mushy and not very tasty if the browning goes much further. If you’ve got a lot of them put them in the fridge or other cool spot to slow down the continued browning. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brown-splotches-inside-my-apples/510753/6 "2014-08-24T22:16:22Z")
I’ve seen that after I’ve sliced them and let them sit for awhile (like I took them for lunch), but I’ve never seen them inside an apple. (Anyone else read this as in my _anus_?) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brown-splotches-inside-my-apples/510753/7 "2014-08-25T01:12:33Z")
Probably storage for 5 years produces zombie apples. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-brown-splotches-inside-my-apples/510753/8 "2014-08-25T23:54:45Z")
When I opened the thread, I got all excited because I thought that honeycrisp season had started. Then I saw the date of the OP. Oh, well, it’s not that far off.