Healthful Entrees Take Advantage of the Peak Season for Apple Crop

The arrival of the fall apple crop blew in like the old North wind last week, with prices reported as low as 29 cents per pound at some supermarkets.

That’s not particularly surprising given the current atmosphere for apples, thanks to a pesticide-cancer scare earlier this year which sent shock waves throughout the community.

Producers have slashed the price of their product and are touting its fiber content (in the form of pectin) as a major reason for consumers to resume consumption of the maligned fruit. Newspaper advertisements urge shoppers to “ . . . rediscover the delicious and nutritious reasons to enjoy new crop apples . . ..”

But some consumers are still a little reluctant to resume their apple-eating gusto because of a widely publicized charge made on a broadcast of “60 Minutes” in February by the National Resources Defense Council.

Apple Preservative

The group warned parents that children face “a massive public health problem” from pesticide residues, particularly from the pesticide Alar, which is used by growers to preserve red apples, and the ingredient into which the product breaks down, UDMH.

Despite NRDC’s allegations to the contrary, however, the scientific community was quick to acquit Alar (scientific name Daminozide) as a potential carcinogen. And most consumers recovered from the “scare.” (Even the Los Angeles Unified School District returned the beloved fruit back to its luncheon menu after hastily removing it from children’s plates.)

Still, there are some children who are not so quick to forget.

“No mommy, don’t buy the red ones,” a little boy was overheard to say in the produce section of a supermarket recently, “they’ll make you sick,” he said.

But there is reason to once again trust in apples, according to scientists, toxicologists and dietitians who have investigated the major media event. Today, as they did then, these professionals continue to stress that there is no need to be alarmed about the potentially toxic effects of possible Alar residues.

Exaggerated Risks

Dr. Carl Winter, Department of Entomology, UC Riverside, is one of them.

“My personal opinion is that the risks from Alar in apples were greatly exaggerated,” said the extension toxicologist, “and that the decisions to remove Alar were based more on emotional and legal battles than on scientific evidence.”

Winter explained that the process by which the government determines the “cancer potency” of a particular product was not used by NRDC. Likewise, the Environmental Protection Agency and other policy-making organizations complained that the data used by NRDC to support their claims had previously been rejected by independent scientific peer groups, such as the Scientific Review Panel, as early as 1985.

“There shouldn’t be a real concern about the apples because there is still a lot of questions about whether or not the breakdown product is even a carcinogen . . . I don’t really have any reservations about limitations . . . liberal amounts pose no undue risk of cancer,” he said.

Evelyn Tribole, media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Assn., agreed.

She explained that in general, in populations that eat higher amounts of fruits and vegetables, there is a decreased rate of death from cancer. The key, she reported, is to maintain variety.

“Have an apple today, a banana tomorrow and so on, so that you minimize exposure to possible contaminants in our diet and maximize key nutrients,” Tribole said.

2,500 Varieties Grown in U.S.

One of the reasons to again buy apples is that there are so many varieties from which to choose. With about 7,500 types of apples grown worldwide and 2,500 types grown on U.S. soil, each offers its own shape, size, sweetness, aroma, color and crispness. The assortment of qualities allow for much dietary variety. They can be eaten fresh, baked, stir-fried or used as a garnish.

Nutritionally speaking, one medium apple is a fat bargain, offering less than 0.5 gram for its 81 calories. Among its attributes is its contribution to the daily requirement for dietary fiber. The pectin it contains (1.07 grams) makes it a good source of soluble fiber.

But since children seldom eat foods for nutrition, here are some delicious-tasting apple recipes, one of which was developed by Tribole to serve to her 2-year-old daughter, which should help restore faith to the wary.

GROUND TURKEY PATTIES WITH FALL FRUIT COMPOTE

1 pound ground turkey

2 envelopes instant spring vegetable soup mix

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/3 cup oat bran

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium apple, sliced

1 medium pear, sliced

1 cup cranberries

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine turkey, soup mix, green onions, oat bran, poultry seasoning, salt and 1/4 cup water. Shape into 4 patties, then chill.

Place apple, pear and cranberries in shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons water. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, then microwave on HIGH 5 minutes. Stir.

Arrange patties over fruit, then microwave uncovered on HIGH 8 minutes, rotating dish and turning patties once. Serve fruit over patties. Makes about 4 servings.

Note: May use 1/2 cup uncooked oats instead of oat bran.

BROWN BAG APPLE SALAD

1 green apple, cored and chopped

1 cup grapes, halved and seeded, if necessary

1 cup orange or grapefruit sections

1/4 cup walnut pieces, chopped

1/4 cup orange or grapefruit juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice

Dash salt

Combine apple, grapes, orange and nuts. Combine orange juice, honey, lime juice and salt. Gently toss with apple mixture. Divide equally among plastic containers for brown bag lunches. Makes about 8 servings.

APPLE-BEAN SALAD

1 (15- to 16-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 green apple, cored and diced

1/4 cup minced green onions

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup diced mild green chiles

1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons oil

Salt

Dash hot pepper sauce

Combine beans, apple, onions, celery and chiles. Mix well. Combine vinegar and oil, salt to taste and hot pepper sauce. Stir into bean mixture. Chill. Makes about 4 servings.

APPLE-BRAN MUFFINS

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 cups wheat bran

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 cup chopped apple

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Juice of 1 orange

2 cups buttermilk, about

1 egg or 2 egg whites, beaten

1/2 cup molasses

2 tablespoons oil

Combine flour, bran, salt, soda and nutmeg. Stir in orange zest, apple, raisins and nuts. Pour orange juice into 2 cup measure and add buttermilk to make 2 cups. Add egg, molasses and oil and stir thoroughly.

Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients with few strokes. Pour batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.

THREE GRAIN APPLE PANCAKES

2/3 cup whole-wheat flour

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup honey

2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 cup oil

3 eggs

1 large apple

Combine flours, cornmeal, soda, honey, buttermilk, baking powder, ginger, oil and eggs in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Core and shred apple and stir into batter.

Heat heavy skillet or griddle and add 1 tablespoon oil. Drop batter, about 2 to 3 tablespoons at time, onto hot surface. When bubbles appear on top, turn and brown other side, about 2 minutes longer. Makes 16 to 20 pancakes.

EVELYN’S APPLE CAKE

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 egg whites or 2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

2 cups peeled, chopped apple

Combine flour, wheat germ, sugar, vanilla, egg whites, nuts, baking powder and cinnamon in bowl. Mix well. Fold in apples, then place in 9-inch pie plate that has been sprayed with non-stick vegetable coating spray. Bake at 350 degrees 35 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.