Apples become soft if stored at room temperature. Keep them in the coolest part of your cooler, against the back wall. (They ripen 10 times faster at 70˚F and 5 times faster at 40˚F) Apples will pick up odors and flavors from other foods. They also give off ethylene gas and should be stored away from other fruits and vegetables affected by ethylene. Keep apples dry, do not rinse or sprinkle with water before storing.