Wax Coating on Apples: Is it Safe?

UPDATE 5-20-2014: I am re-running this post (originally from 4-16-2012) because of important, new information.


Last week, I purchased some apples that seemed to have an unusually thick coating of wax. This, combined with a recent comment on this blog, got me thinking about the wax on apples. What I learned surprised me.

Apples and other fruits do have naturally-occurring wax on them. However, because most commercially sold apples are washed before being shipped to stores, most of the natural wax gets removed - and a drop or two of additional wax is typically applied to them to make them last at least as long as they would if they hadn't been washed. Most sources will tell you the wax is perfectly safe. It is FDA approved and made from natural sources. And besides, people have been waxing apples for centuries.

What is Apple Wax?
The wax applied to apples is usually cited as being Carnauba wax (from the leaves of Brazil's carnauba palm) or shellac, which comes from the secretion of the lac bug of Indian and Thailand. Both are considered pretty similar to an apple's natural wax. Further research shows that some apples may also be coated with beeswax or Candelilla wax (from the Candelilla shrub of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States). The Carnauba, shellac, beeswax, and Candelia may not sound  too bad, but sometimes apples are coated with food grade paraffin or other petroleum products. Now, paraffin was used for a long time in canning, though it was not supposed to touch the food. And paraffin is now common in foods like inexpensive chocolate. But it is made of petroleum, which gives me pause.

UPDATE 5-20-2014:  I am now seeing a lot of apples that are coated with soy-based wax. Soy is almost always a GMO product, plus lots of soy in the diet increases estrogen levels. Therefore, I encourage you to read labels carefully, or buy organic only. (Bagged apples have ingredient labels, so they are a better choice if you don't buy organic.)

I have also read that wax may include dairy or gluten ingredients, so if you are allergic to either, again you'll need to read labels.




Who Cares?
When I mentioned this to my husband he said, "Who cares? People have been consuming petroleum products for a long time - even using kerosene [a petroleum product] for medicine. And mineral oil [also a petroleum product] has been in food and medicine for a long time, too." And, I thought, petroleum products have been used for skin care and cosmetics for quite a while, also.

In fact, petroleum products are used in a wide variety of foods - mostly processed - including candy, chips, crackers, food colorings, anything that says it's "enriched," artificial vanilla flavoring, baked goods, crayons (a true food for some kids) - and oh yes, many pesticides and fertilizers have petroleum, too. In other words, the list of foods with petroleum products in or on them is long.

Now, petroleum is a natural, God-made thing. But do we really want to eat it? To answer this question, I tried to research studies about the safety of eating petroleum products. "The Ecology Center" (an environmental and "social justice" group) claims a wide variety of human ailments are linked to petroleum - but doesn't site scientific studies. In fact, after one hour on the Internet, I could find only one study that looked at how consuming petroleum products might affect the human body: This study on rats that showed increased organ weight and inflammation.

So I cannot say definitively whether or not we should be concerned about consuming small amounts of petroleum in apple wax. But personally I am not worried about apple wax from other sources.

How to Avoid Waxed Apples

* Do not assume organic apples aren't waxed; under FDA guidelines, they may be.

* Read labels and signage carefully. The FDA insists grocery stores must indicate when apples or other fruits are waxed. These signs should indicate what kind of wax is used on the apples, too.

* Grow you own apples! Even if your yard is small, it may be possible.

* Purchase apples from a pick-your-own farm. If you want fresh apples year round, this means you'll have to store extras in a cool, dark location.

* Buy them at a farmer's market and ask if wax has been added.

* Avoid apples that appear overly-shiny.

Removing Apple Wax
It's always a good idea to wash produce before you eat it. This helps remove pesticides - and bacteria like e. coli that could make you very ill. However, washing apples under warm, running water won't remove wax - and soap used on apples may absorb into the fruit. Instead, try washing the apple under water first, then washing it in a bowl containing water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Gently scrub.


3 comments

  1. Food for thought... in Europe, mineral oil is labeled a human carcinogen, and cannot be used in makeups, on foods, etc.

    Personally, I use a vegetable brush on my apples under warm water, and it seems to help loosen the wax. But, after this post, I'll definitely be going to the orchard this year for apples!!

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  2. Thanks for taking the time to research this!
    I don't tend to be a worrier. We go to an orchard every Fall anyway (I love living in apple country!) But the last thing I need is an excuse to eat even fewer veggies/fruits. Apples are one of the few I actually like.

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  3. Thank you so much for posting this. I am allergic to Soy and I definitely care about soy on my apples. It is difficult to avoid soy - like a fish trying to avoid water. One more thing to look out for. But I'd rather know and keep an eye out than eat soy and get sick.

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