The Cosmic Crisp® apple, developed by Washington State University as the tree variety WA 38, has won Good Housekeeping’s 2020 Healthy Snack Award on the strength of its great nutrition.
Fruit of a 20-year effort at WSU to breed a juicier, better-storing and higher quality apple for the Washington tree fruit industry, the Cosmic Crisp® apple was chosen among 32 award-winning snacks, products and beverages. The magazine’s registered dietitian evaluates hundreds of snacks every year to help families make nutritious choices.
The new apple is “low-calorie yet nutrient-dense, packed with antioxidants and excellent fiber counts for a delicious and nourishing addition to just about any meal or snack,” Good Housekeeping noted.
See the full list of award winners at Good Housekeeping’s website.
Classically bred by Washington State University researchers, Cosmic Crisp® apples are a cross between Enterprise and Honeycrisp. Large, round, crisp, and juicy, these apples are a rich red color, dotted with starburst-like pores, called lenticels, which led to the ‘cosmic’ name.
Introduced to consumers in December 2020, the apple’s commercial launch continues this fall. New Cosmic Crisp® products continue to be developed, and more than 14 million WA 38 trees have been planted in Washington state.
This year’s harvest is expected in stores by December 1, 2020.