Have you ever realize that after you cut an apple, it turns brown in a few minutes??
Apples discolor or turned brown when peeled or bruised and exposed to air.
There are millions of tiny cells inside each apple. When cutting the apple, it cells get exposed to air. This damages the wall that protects each cell and exposes its contents to oxygen in the air.
This discoloration or browning is due to oxygen, O2, reacting with chemicals released, breaking down the cells in the fruit. The reaction is called enzymatic oxidation as it is a process catalyzed by the enzymes present in the apples. However, the enzymes are destroyed by certain chemicals (e.g. Vitamin C - Absorbic acid) or by high heat. Vitamin C, being an highly reactive anti-oxidant reacts with the O2 in the air, preventing or slowing down the enzymatic oxidation of the apples.
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