International
Cosmic Crisp: New apple launched that 'lasts for a year'─── 09:25 Sun, 01 Dec 2019
A new breed of apple that took two decades to develop and allegedly lasts for up to a year in the fridge goes on sale in the US on Sunday.
The launch of the "firm, crisp, and juicy apple" cost $10m (£7.9m).
Farmers in the state of Washington are exclusively allowed to grow the fruit for the next decade.
"It's an ultra-crisp apple, it's relatively firm, it has a good balance of sweet and tart and it's very juicy," said Kate Evans, who co-led the apple's breeding programme at Washington State University.
She said the flesh is slow to brown and the fruit "maintains excellent eating quality in refrigerated storage - easily for 10 to 12 months".
More than 12 million Cosmic Crisp trees have been planted and a strict licensing system does not permit farmers to grow the apples in other parts of the country.
The variety was originally known as WA38 and the name Cosmic Crisp was inspired by the scattering of tiny white spots on its dark red skin, resembling the night sky.
