Research in California has shown that the liquid bleach sodium hypochlorite, which is commonly used in apple packing systems, can cause skin damage on apples. Dr. Beth Mitcham at the University of California, Davis, said when dump tank water is used to treat large quantities of fruit, the chlorine reacts with the organic matter, but the sodium stays behind and can build up to such high levels that it damages the fruit. The damage is superficial and doesn’t penetrate into the fruit flesh. It can be found on different parts of the apple, depending on how high the sodium concentration […]