No More Rusty Apples

Ahhhhh..apples! So clean, so fresh, delicious, and pretty. Then you slice them open, and they immediately start to turn brown, right? This life hack was supposed to preserve the freshness of apple slices and keep them from turning brown. Did it work? A-no.

2 Apples: One for the Hack, One for Control

Both Apples Sliced and Cored within Seconds of Each Other
Yes, I have a fancy tool for that.

The Life Hack - Reconstruct the Apple and Bind it Together

Both Apples Sealed in Bags: One Hacked and One Loose

After Four Hours: Hacked Slices are on the Left

So - apples turn brown when the exposed surface reacts with oxygen in the air. This is oxidation, just like when iron turns to rust. Yes, rusty apples. The rubber banding of the apple back together had no apparent effect on this reaction. I think the plastic bags more than anything slowed down the oxidation process. A better experiment would have been leaving a third sliced apple on the counter without placing it in a bag. That apple would have turned very brown. Bottom line, don't waste your time with the rubber bands. Place your apple slices in a plastic bag to keep extra oxygen out, and you'll have a better chance of keeping the rust off.