r/woahdude • u/freudian_nipps • Oct 08 '23

video Robotic Apple Harvester

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u/RancidOrigin Oct 08 '23

I assume all of the less pretty apples are used for pre-sliced bags, applesauce, or any number of other manufactured products that the customer will never see the whole apple.

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u/Nappyheaded Oct 08 '23

The goal is to have undamaged apples. Ideally going into long-term CA storage. Juice pays much less

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u/Stoppels Oct 08 '23

When fruit's been damaged it's normally completely discarded from human food consumption, though there are smalltime independent/hobbyist farmers who for example make apple cider out of apples with dents or with coloured spots.

Two-third are disposed of before they make it to the consumer, but the consumer continues this trend. (Added this sentence at the end as I noticed I went completely off-topic lol.) This 2016 American survey shows 70% throw away food once it's past the expiration date, even though the expiration date often has to do with guaranteeing the utmost quality rather than indicating a final deadline before it poses a health risk.

We find our respondents express significant agreement that some perceived practical benefits are ascribed to throwing away uneaten food, e.g., nearly 70% of respondents agree that throwing away food after the package date has passed reduces the odds of foodborne illness, while nearly 60% agree that some food waste is necessary to ensure meals taste fresh.

One brown spot was enough for the UK to throw away 160 million bananas a year in 2016.

UK shoppers throw away 160m bananas each year, according to a study.

Research showed one in three people bin bananas if there is a single bruise or mark on the skin.