Desy® Apples
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Desy® apples are a medium to large varietal, averaging 7 to 8 centimeters in diameter, and have a uniform, conical shape with broad shoulders tapering to a narrow, flat base. The variety has a distinctly pointed crown on the bottom of the fruit and a semi-thick, fibrous, woody, slender stem. The apple’s skin is thick, smooth, taut, and glossy, showcasing prominent yellow-green lenticels. The skin also ripens from green to golden yellow, almost entirely covered in a crimson, burgundy, to dark red blush. The blush ranges from opaque to translucent and is primarily a wash of color versus striped or mottled. Underneath the surface, the ivory to cream-colored flesh is firm, aqueous, and dense with a crisp, crunchy consistency. The flesh also encases a central fibrous core filled with tiny black-brown seeds. Desy® apples are edible raw once ripe and release a faintly sweet aroma. The flesh has a high sugar content mixed with low acidity, creating a mild and sweet taste. When harvested, Desy® apples are around 16 degrees Brix, a unit of sugar measurement in the flesh. In storage, the flesh can reach up to 18 degrees Brix, developing a more concentrated and sweeter flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Desy® apples are harvested in the fall, typically around the same time or just before Fuji apples are picked.
Current Facts
Desy® apples, botanically classified as Malus domestica, are a European variety belonging to the Rosaceae family. The late-season apples were commercially released in the early 21st century and are a variety promoted through the Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti, CIV, in Italy. Desy® apples were selected as a new variety for their uniform size, bright red coloring, sweet taste, and juicy, crunchy flesh. The variety is still relatively unknown in markets worldwide, but the branded apples are expanding in production with the goal of increasing visibility in commercial markets. Desy® apples are showcased as a grower-friendly apple. The variety produces high yields, does not exhibit biennial bearing, and is scab-resistant with low susceptibility to powdery mildew. This disease resistance allows the fruits to be handled with less phytosanitary treatments, softening the impact of growing the variety on the environment. The cultivar is also positioned as a rustic apple with extended storage properties, making it suitable for export. Desy® apples have a high sugar content mixed with low acidity, creating a sweet, pleasantly flavored apple for fresh eating.
Nutritional Value
Desy® apples have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Like other modern commercial apples, the variety may be a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system while reducing inflammation, and fiber to regulate the digestive tract. Apples also provide copper to develop connective tissues, vitamin A to maintain healthy organs, magnesium to control nerves, calcium to build strong bones and teeth, vitamin E to protect the cells against the damage caused by free radicals, and other nutrients, including manganese, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamin K. The vibrant red hues within the skin indicate the presence of anthocyanins, pigmented compounds with antioxidant-like properties to reduce inflammation and promote the body's overall health against disease.
Applications
Desy® apples have a mild, sweet taste suited for fresh preparations. Depending on preference, the variety is typically consumed out of hand, with or without the skin, and is eaten as a snack or dessert. Desy® apples can be sprinkled with lemon juice as a flavor enhancement and to slow oxidization or the fruits can be sliced and dipped into nut butter, caramel, or chocolate. The apples can also be chopped and tossed into salads, mixed into fruit medleys, added to fresh spring rolls, or shredded into slaws. Try layering Desy® apples into sandwiches and burgers or placing them on crostini and toast. The apples can also be used as an edible topping in parfaits, pancakes, waffles, and grain bowls. In addition to eating the variety raw, Desy® apples can be blended into smoothies and shakes. They can also be pressed into juice and added to fruit punch, cocktails, and sparkling beverages. While less common, Desy® apples can be simmered into jams, jellies, and syrups or cooked into sauces for roasted meats. They can also be combined with sugar and used as a filling for baked goods. Desy® apples pair well with maple syrup, vanilla, chocolate, brown sugar, nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and pecans, cheeses including parmesan, brie, goat, feta, and gorgonzola, and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. Whole, unwashed Desy® apples will keep for several weeks to months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark location, such as a cellar or the refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Desy® apples were showcased as one of the new product innovations of CIV through Interpoma in 2022. Interpoma is an international trade show dedicated to apples. The multi-day event is traditionally held every two years in Bolzano, a city in South Tyrol in Northern Italy. South Tyrol is one of the largest apple-growing regions in Europe, with over 7,000 apple growers residing in the region. South Tyrol is the largest supplier of organic apples in the European Union and provides around 10% of the total supply of conventional and organic apples to the Union. Interpoma is a gathering to unite growers, marketers, technology companies, and other apple industry professionals to share innovations, advancements, and ideas to increase apple sales worldwide. In 2022, the trade show attracted over 16,000 visitors, and CIV, the Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti, participated in the show, exhibiting new apple and strawberry varieties, including Desy®, or CIVM65. The Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti is currently headquartered in the Ferrara province of Northern Italy and is a research center focused on developing apple, strawberry, and pear varieties with improved disease resistance.
Geography/History
Desy® apples are native to Europe and were developed in partnership between Rajpol Sp. Z.o.o, a Polish cooperative of growers-exporters, and the Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti, also known as CIV, a joint venture between Italian nurseries Tagliani Vivai, Vivai Mazzoni, and Salvi Vivai, established in 1983. Rajpol Sp. Z.o.o is a European Exclusive Licensee of CIV and was trialed and eventually released through CIV’s Apple Research and Development Program. Much of the variety’s history is unknown, but Desy® apples were initially labeled under CIVM65, a breeding name given in CIV’s apple program. After the variety passed extensive trials and evaluations, it was rebranded under the marketing name of Desy® for increased consumer appeal in commercial markets. Desy® apples were previewed through select events in Europe in 2022 and were promoted through several industry-focused conventions in 2023. The variety was showcased at Fruit Logistica in Berlin in 2023, and during the event, IG International, an Indian Fresh Produce Company, signed an agreement with CIV to plant Desy® apples in India. Desy® apples are the first international apple variety that IG International has introduced to India. The apples are being grown in India on a small scale for local production, but the company has plans to expand and increase cultivation with time. Desy® apples are also sold under the brand name Pola® in Poland, sometimes known as Jablko Pola apples. Today, Desy® apples are primarily produced in Italy through select growers and are still a relatively new commercial cultivar, but the variety is also being planted in India, Poland, and Turkey for domestic sales and possible exporting to Asia and other markets in Europe. The Desy® apples featured in the photograph above were sourced through Fruit Logistica in Berlin in 2024.
