gonzo writes:
Here's a bit of a quandary:
A recent purchase (apple) from a local food store (one of the major
stores in our area) turns out to be rotten on the inside, while on the
outside it still looks really nice and fresh..

What's up with that, and how would this kind of thing happen..? Also
had a couple peaches (same store) pretty much disintegrate on the
counter over a period of 4 days.

Is this a symptom of irradiated food?

I don't know anything about irradiated fruit. But fruit that has turned
brown throughout is typical of having been kept in controlled-atmosphere
refrigeration for far too many months, eg., 1 year too long.

With practice, you can gauge how old an apple is by examining its stalk.
Were the apples reduced in price to get them off the shelf? Is it likely
the chain of stores was clearing out an old (last seasons) stockpile
to make way for the current season's?
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)