Here's a macro shot of the one on the left:

Horrible company.

Coles’ response to the board was that the apples were in cold storage (not frozen) and retained the original qualities throughout the process. Therefore, it was still considered ‘fresh’.

Specifically, Coles’ defence was: “Coles considers apples can remain fresh, even if placed in cold storage. ‘Freshness’ is determined with regard to the quality of the produce, not whether it has been stored or not.”

Bobby. wrote on Apr 13^th, 2025 at 9:26pm:


take it back in your pocket with teeth and bite marks in it and put it back on the shelf where you got it, that way the next person knows what they are buying LOL

Sir lastnail wrote on Apr 13^th, 2025 at 9:45pm:



Very funny,
I actually know a trick to see if it's old from Nitrogen cold storage -
you smell the apples.
Fresh apples have a strong apple smell.
I smelt all the high cost apples and none had a strong smell so I was suspicious.

The Fuji ones had a slightly stronger smell than all the rest
but none had a strong apple smell.

Bobby. wrote on Apr 13^th, 2025 at 9:41pm:


One investigation found that the apples in Coles were 9 months old and the ones in Woolworths were 10 months old.

"The fresh food people"   

An old article is all I could find:


https://www.smh.com.au/national/our-tests-show-supermarket-apples-are-up-to-10-m...




January 20, 2008 — 11.00am


APPLES on sale in supermarkets are up to 10 months old, an investigation by The Sun-Herald has revealed.

Woolworths, which advertises itself as "the fresh food people", was the worst culprit, with the oldest products on sale.

The Sun-Herald bought samples of Granny Smiths from Woolworths, Coles and the Norton Street Grocer in Bondi Junction after learning that, within the industry, some products are nicknamed "birthday apples" because they are up to a year old by the time they hit the shelves.

All the samples were Australian-grown.

The apples are kept in cold storage under controlled conditions from the time they are picked.

But scientists said that quality and freshness was being affected because they were being kept for longer in order to satisfy consumer demand for year-round products.

Our apples were sent for testing at the independent Sydney Postharvest Laboratory, which conducts research for the fruit and vegetable industry.

Analysis showed the Woolworths samples were about 10 months old while the Norton Street and Coles products had spent 9 months in storage since being harvested.

The apples were also tested for firmness and levels of ethylene, a natural plant hormone that stimulates fruit to ripen but can also cause it to go off.

Stephen Morris, the principal research scientist who conducted the tests, said that Norton Street apples were of the best quality and Woolworths the worst.

Woolworths' apples had 75 times the ethylene levels of the fruit from Norton Street.

Dr Morris said: "Apples can be kept for six months and they will still be of very good quality.

"After nine months the quality is going to start to be affected and at 10 and 11 months you are not going to get such a good apple.



Dr Morris said that any apples on sale at the moment would be at least eight months old.

Gordon wrote on Apr 13^th, 2025 at 10:31pm:



Good idea Gordon.

I will try a fruit and vege shop that a friend has recommended.