树叶正在变化，温度正在下降，当我们完全滑落到秋天时，季节的变化对于美食家来说意味着一个非常重要的事情：它是苹果季节.
但是你知道超市货架上的苹果可能已经快一年了吗？这就是原因 – 为什么它并不一定意味着你应该恐慌.
为什么你的苹果可能是一岁
Oct.13.201400:49
美国食品和药物管理局发言人Lauren Sucher向TODAY.com证实，商店货架上的苹果并不像看起来那么新鲜.
“可以存储包括苹果在内的许多商品，以扩大其营销的可用性，”她说。 “在受控温度和低湿度下，苹果可以在食用前储存数月。”
根据美国农业部的网站，新鲜采摘的未经处理的苹果将在它们变软和腐烂之前持续几周，因此它们通常储存在温控条件下，使其可以持续长达10个月。然而，一旦它们从存储中移除，时钟就会再次开始滴答作响.
美国农业部说：“为了减缓众所周知的时间，一些水果经销商用气态化合物1-甲基环丙烯处理他们的苹果箱。” “它通过阻止乙烯来延长水果的储存后质量，乙烯是一种天然调节成熟和老化的无色气体。”
根据美国农业部的说法，同样的化学品用于减少“西兰花的去绿化，生菜褐变和胡萝卜的苦味”。.
如何挑选完美的苹果
Oct.10.201401:20
但即使这个事实令人惊讶，也不应该是可怕的。虽然抗氧化剂和味道可能会随着时间的推移而减弱，但专家告诉TODAY.com，这种治疗方法非常安全.
对于初学者来说，在美国储存食物的非农场设施必须在FDA注册，并且必须遵守相关的安全要求，Sucher说.
延长农产品的寿命也不是一个新概念。 Sucher补充说：“在现有技术出现之前，人们已经根据酒窖延长了保质期和苹果等食品的可用性。” “这种普遍的，广泛的做法使消费者可以在一年中的几个月里吃更多种类的农产品，而不是过去几十年。”
Phil Lempert，一位也被称为超市大师的消费者，通过电子邮件告诉TODAY.com，虽然苹果可以在冷库中存放一年然后再运到超市，但他们在商店的保质期通常只有几天。到几个星期。“
Martin Lindstrom，“真相和谎言关于我们购买的东西”的作者告诉TODAY.com，国际超市出售比一年前更多的苹果更常见，但美国的情况更少见.
当然，并非所有收获的苹果都会长期储存。许多产品交付到新鲜市场。此外，并非所有来自存储的苹果都出现在产品部分。 Sucher说，它们可能用于制作果汁，冷冻馅饼和其他类型的加工食品.
但即使延长苹果的寿命也是安全的，商店购买的苹果可能不是最健康的选择.
“新鲜采摘的苹果总是具有维生素和矿物质的最佳营养成分，”今日饮食和营养编辑Madelyn Fernstrom说。 “苹果特别富含多酚，一种抗氧化剂。”
随着时间的推移，这些抗氧化剂似乎会消失。 Food Renegade网站援引一项研究报告称，一年前的苹果可能保留了几乎没有抗氧化特性.
Fernstrom说，年龄与降低抗氧化剂价值之间的相关性可能是事实，但是说乙烯的使用似乎不是它的原因。.
“最近的一项研究表明，苹果中抗氧化剂的含量可能因长期储存而下降，”她补充说，“因为这些抗氧化剂存在于果皮中，而不是苹果的果肉中。”
虽然通常很难确定哪些超市苹果在购买之前最新鲜，但Lindstrom说一些市场正在努力提供有关每种苹果的更好信息。 “一些零售商现在正在提供’足迹’，告诉人们什么时候成长以及何时采摘，”他补充道.
如果你不想玩这种猜谜游戏？ “你最好的选择是在季节性和本地购买苹果，”Fernstrom说.
TODAY.com的作家Chris Serico为这个故事做出了贡献。在Twitter上关注他. Alesandra Dubin是洛杉矶的作家，也是家庭和旅游博客Homebody in Motion的创始人。在Facebook，Google +和她上关注她 推特.
As an AI language model, I do not have a specific language to comment in. However, I can provide a translation of the text in English:
Leaves are changing, temperatures are dropping, and as we fully slide into autumn, the change of season means one very important thing for foodies: its apple season. But did you know that the apples on supermarket shelves may be almost a year old? Thats the reason – and why it doesnt necessarily mean you should panic. Lauren Sucher, a spokesperson for the US Food and Drug Administration, confirmed to TODAY.com that the apples on store shelves are not as fresh as they appear. “Many products, including apples, can be stored to extend their marketability,” she said. “Apples can be stored for months before consumption under controlled temperature and low humidity.” According to the US Department of Agricultures website, fresh, untreated apples will last for a few weeks before they become soft and rot, so they are typically stored under temperature-controlled conditions, allowing them to last up to 10 months. However, once they are removed from storage, the clock starts ticking again. The US Department of Agriculture says, “To slow down the well-known time clock, some fruit distributors treat their apple boxes with a gaseous compound called 1-methylcyclopropene.” “It extends the post-storage quality of the fruit by blocking ethylene, a natural, colorless gas that regulates ripening and aging.” According to the US Department of Agriculture, the same chemical is used to reduce “de-greening of broccoli, browning of lettuce, and bitterness in carrots.” But even though this fact may be surprising, it shouldnt be scary. While antioxidants and flavor may diminish over time, experts tell TODAY.com that this treatment is very safe. For beginners, non-farm facilities that store food in the US must be registered with the FDA and must comply with relevant safety requirements, Sucher said. Extending the life of agricultural products is not a new concept. Sucher added, “Before existing technology, people have extended the shelf life and availability of foods like wine cellars and apples.” “This widespread, common practice allows consumers to eat more varieties of agricultural products during several months of the year, rather than just a few decades ago.” Phil Lempert, a consumer also known as the Supermarket Guru, told TODAY.com via email that while apples can be stored in cold storage for a year and then shipped to