Empire Apples
Empire apples are red, juicy, firm, crunchy and sweet. They ripen during September and October, and will keep until January.
Empire was developed at Cornell University in New York state, USA in the 1940s, and its parents are classic old North American varieties - Delicious and McIntosh. These are both shiny red apples. It is an ideal lunch-box apple, not least because it does not bruise easily.

Storage
» Store immediately in the coldest part of the walk-in cooler (Typically, this will be on a lower shelf and farthest away from the entry door). Empire apples are very susceptible to damage from the heat of the kitchen. Warm temperatures will cause the texture of the flesh to be mealy and soft.
» Store exposed product away from drafts from the cooler fan. Always keep in the original cartons or the original bags. Exposed apples will shrivel and rapidly dehydrate.
» Do not stack product on top of the cases or cause the apples to be crushed.
» Remove any apples with decay, damage or that begin to mold immediately.

Handling
» Follow good rotation practices, first shipments received should be used first.
» Fresh apples have an expected shelf life of 6-7 days. Plan to rotate frequently to maintain maximum quality.

Preparation
» Prepare as needed. Try not to use product from the previous day.
» Avoid placing apples on non-sanitized kitchen counter tops to help prevent the potential for cross contamination.
» Always limit the time the product is out of refrigeration.
» Give apples a quick cold water rinse in a sanitary colander and drain well immediately prior to usage.