Sodium chloride, common table salt, is another chemical that can interfere with oxidation. For my test, I soaked cut apple and pear slices for 10 minutes in a salt solution made from ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt dissolved in 1 cup of cold water. I then drained them and let them stand for two hours alongside samples of untreated cut apple.
...the saltwater apple resisted browning the best: even after two hours, when this photo was taken, it was still a respectable white color. The salt flavor is very mild on the surface of the apple—one taster didn’t even notice it—but it’s there. The good news is a quick rinse under cold running water completely washes away any traces of salt, leaving you with a fresh tasting and looking apple, well after it was originally cut.
