One Bad Apple . . .

Last night while cleaning out the refrigerator—a task I abhor— I came across a bag of apples hiding out behind the mayonnaise, garlic pickles, Spanish olives, Maraschino cherries and Woodchuck cider beer.

I looked them over trying to remember when I bought them and gave them a squeeze. They seemed to be just fine, not mushy at all. I was excited to have found them because I wanted to try out a new apple recipe I saw on a cooking show this weekend. However, I then realized my husband had bought them before he left for his fishing trip. These apples have been sitting in my refrigerator since around the 20th of SEPTEMBER!

My questions are these: Are these apples still all right to cook with? How long do apples keep? Are they safe to eat raw? Do they still look/feel/smell ok because they have been injected/sprayed with preservatives? Will they make me ill if I were to eat them?

Is there anyone out there who can attest to the average life span of a pampered, refrigerated apple? Anyone?