Toxic Foods Alert: Apeel Coating Technology

More toxic foods? I didn’t think it was possible.

Have you heard of Apeel produce coating technology?

Until recently, neither had I.

Apeel’s primary product, Edipeel, is a layer of processed fatty acids sprayed on the outside of everything from lemons to pineapples to lock in freshness and prevent fruits and vegetables from going bad.

Apeel, which according to its website, is impossible to wash off, is already applied to fresh fruit and vegetables in 65 countries. Click To Tweet

Link here.

Countries selling produce coated with Edipeel, Apeel’s leading product, include the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Peru, Spain, Sweden, Norway, China, Australia, South Africa, Poland, and Japan. Source here.

In the European Union and the United Kingdom, Apeel is currently limited to fruit with peels that are not typically eaten (avocadoes, citrus fruit, papaya, mangoes, banana, pomegranate, and melons).

In all other countries, Edipeel and other Apeel products are approved for spraying on “ALL fresh fruits and vegetables without exception.”

This includes organic produce.

I was shocked at how quickly and quietly Apeel’s Edipeel has suddenly become part of our lives, with no information campaign or consent requested from shoppers.

So what exactly is Edipeel? Are Apeel products safe?

Keep reading for more.

Below, you’ll find ways that you can take action today to raise awareness, add your name to a new petition that’s circulating, build community, and change the trajectory of this new mystery technology being sprayed on our food.

We will be providing updates on this topic as we learn more and hear from you, our community. Sign up to my newsletter to keep up with what we’re learning.

** UPDATE: We have made several major wins and have learned a lot from our readers since this blog was posted. Visit our update blog linked here for news, a list of stores and suppliers who carry Apeel-coated produce, and sample letters to help you take action right now. **

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

For decades, we have been sold on the idea that toxic food is safe and even health-promoting. Just look at the history of cigarettes.

Unless concerned citizens, scientists, or health professionals go down a rabbit hole of research of their own, it’s often impossible to get straight answers.

My team and I went down the rabbit hole to compare Apeel’s PR-friendly message with the facts.

Apeel says their goal is to reduce food waste by coating fruits and vegetables with an edible layer of fatty acids which prevents produce from oxidizing – in other words, the fruit will not go bad.

As is so often the case with “proprietary” industrial products like toxic perfumes (read more in my blog on microscopic toxins in perfumes), natural flavors (read more in my blog, Hidden Sources of MSG), and other food additives, the actual ingredients in Apeel are far from clear unless you do your own research.

The only details about what is used to make Apeel is what’s listed on their website and product information sheets – both sources of information from the company itself.

And, by the way, you may not even know you’re eating Apeel-coated produce. Labeling laws and requirements vary from country to country and state to state.

Fruit coated with Edipeel may have the Apeel logo on the produce stickers, or it may not. You won’t know unless you ask your produce manager.

The assurance Apeel gives us is typical corporate jargon: “Apeel products do not contain hazardous ingredients that will cause harm to people or the environment within the context of their intended use.”

So is their product harmful within other contexts?

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

Edipeel from Apeel is made of “food-grade mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids derived from plants.”

According to an article on Medical News Today, these fatty acids may contain trans fats, which are known to be harmful to health. Here’s a great article from Food Babe on these common but worrisome food additives.

The article also highlights how manufacturing this “safe” food additive often exposes them to heavy metals like lead, nickel, cadmium, mercury, and toxic ash and arsenic.

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According to United States Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA) documents, Apeel’s Edipeel was approved as a “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) product derived from grape seeds which go through heavy processing.

APEEL DANGERS: JUST A LITTLE POISON

According to this FDA submission from Apeel, two stages in the manufacturing process require the use of a solvent. In both cases, the solvent is either heptane or ethyl acetate.

According to the American Chemical Society, ethyl acetate is a flavoring agent and solvent used in paints, lacquers, perfumes, and processed foods. Link here.

EHS.com (EHS stands for “environmental health and safety”) describes ethyl acetate as “toxic when ingested or inhaled” on its website.

Heptane is used in test fuels, petroleum refinement, cement, inks, and as a food solvent in small amounts. The New Jersey Department of Health describes side effects like skin rashes, nausea, headache, and more if exposed directly to heptane. Link here.

The Edipeel product specifications from Apeel, as listed in their FDA submission, detail the following components and amounts included in this product being sprayed on our food:

• Soap (as sodium oleate) – Not more than 6%
• Ethyl acetate – Not more than 4.58 mg per day (at 21,000 ppm*)
• Heptane – Not more than 5.01 mg per day (at 23,000 ppm*)
• And the following metals*:

* These numbers are calculated using parts per million to determine the volume of these toxic substances in the end product

So after eating the upper estimated amount of Apeel’s Edipeel of 218 milligrams per day from both treated fruits and vegetables for about 12.5 years, you’ll have 1 mg of mercury in your brain and body, 1 mg of cadmium, 2 mg of lead, 3 mg of arsenic, 10 mg of palladium, 22.8 g of heptane, and 20.38 g of ethyl acetate.

According to Apeel, you must eat almost 30,000 apples to consume one kilogram of Apeel. Still, if every piece of produce you consume daily is coated with Apeel, this number adds up quickly, especially if you eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.

So it’s just a little poison. Nothing to worry about, right?

According to this article in the United States National Library of Medicine, “Mercury vapor, being highly volatile and lipid soluble, can cross the blood-brain barrier and…methylmercury can pass through blood-brain and placental barriers, causing serious damage in the central nervous system.”

I don’t want a fraction of a milligram of mercury in my body, do you?

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APEEL SIDE EFFECTS

While there is no data on any potential Edipeel or Apeel side effects due to its limited time in the market and the fact that it underwent little to no testing before its application on our food, we know that the toxins involved in the manufacturing process do have side effects.

It’s almost impossible to measure any Apeel side effects from minuscule amounts which build up in our bodies over time after repeated consumption of products coated in Apeel.

Instead, symptoms may suddenly appear a few years down the line. Or a liver condition that doctors cannot trace to its source may develop in part due to the toxic heavy metals and solvents that were sprayed on our apples.

The issue with Apeel side effects is more about the fact that they are contributing to a growing toxic load in an increasingly toxic world. The environment that Apeel is entering does not benefit from more products like this one – we’ve already got enough to deal with.

MORE HIDDEN TOXINS

According to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) document, Apeel’s product is also .66% citric acid. Link here. So for anyone avoiding this widely-used but toxic food additive, Apeel is a no-go.

Citric acid is often derived from corn as well, as author Anthony William points out here on his blog about toxic food ingredients. Corn is almost always GMO-contaminated.

Learn more on my blog, How to Avoid Hidden Sources of Corn and GMOs.

The above EPA document also lists eye irritation as a hazard of handling raw Apeel material.

Many organic apples at Costco are coated with Apeel. A recent consumer call confirmed that Stemilt Growers, a major organic apple supplier to Costco, uses Apeel coating on its organic apple crops WITHOUT DISCLOSURE. And has been since 2020. Read more here.

ERODED TRUST

I get triggered when it comes to toxic foods. I’ve lost trust in the system.

If you follow Food Babe, Nutritionfacts.org, or any other source of health-related investigative work, you likely get triggered too.

From packaged food to restaurant fare, toxic food has become the norm.

It’s almost impossible to read an ingredient label and not find at least one mysterious additive (citric acid, MSG, natural flavors, carrageenan, guar gum, spices – all harmful to health, and the mystery ingredient list goes on much longer).

Regulatory authorities worldwide have quickly approved the use of Apeel, founded in 2012 with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Bill Gates, and the Rockefeller Foundation are now investors, and Walter Robb, the former co-CEO of Whole Foods, sits on the Apeel board of directors.

In just ten years, Apeel went from a fledgling startup to a booming business with distribution on multiple continents and backing from the World Economic Forum. Apeel has raised almost $1 billion in investment.

Does that mean that it’s safe?

We’ve seen how governments are influenced by industry regarding food safety. Just look at GMOs as an example, which we are told are safe but are very much not.

The Biden administration released an Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation in September 2022, linked here.

The first goal of this order is to “bolster and coordinate Federal investment in key research and development (R&D) areas of biotechnology and biomanufacturing.”

In late March 2023, Biden released a report titled “Bold Goals for U.S. Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing,” with a primary goal of “Reducing food waste by 50% by 2030.” Apeel’s number one message is reducing food waste through its patented product.

We’re seeing yet more governmental support of profit-generating initiatives which do not inherently serve the health of citizens first and foremost.

Is Edipeel from Apeel truly an innocuous product meant to protect freshness, or is it emerging biotechnology along the lines of what we’ve already seen play out with GMOs?

One of the most telling sentences we found when writing this article came from the FDA in their response letter to Apeel’s request for approval, linked here again.

“Food ingredient manufacturers and food producers are responsible for ensuring that marketed products are safe and compliant with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.”

In other words, the companies regulate themselves.

Sound familiar?

THE MORE WE FIND, THE MORE WE WORRY

Due to the manufacturing process to create Apeel, the product applied has been heated and processed according to Apeel’s patent documents.

So if you are following a raw diet part-time or full-time, and you eat an apple coated with Apeel, are you still eating raw? Technically no.

According to another patent document filed by Apeel, they are also applying a sanitizing agent to the surface of these fruits and vegetables.

We know from the patent (which you can read using the link above) that Apeel primarily uses 50-90% ethanol, an alcohol. Alcohol is horribly unhealthy in any amount and any form. Even minuscule amounts should be avoided.

As author Anthony William, the Medical Medium ®, states in his book Liver Rescue, alcohol in all forms should be avoided for optimal health, including ethanol.

“In the case of herbal tinctures, actively seek out alcohol-free versions (avoid the word ethanol, too).” – Anthony William in Liver Rescue, pg. 298

And read more in my blog, What Alcohol Does to Our Brains and Livers.

This same patent also states that produce may be exposed to Apeel’s coating process for anywhere from one to 3,600 seconds – a whole hour!

We already know we can’t entirely remove Apeel from our food. What happens if a strawberry is soaked in Apeel for as long as 30 seconds, five minutes, or longer?

In yet another patent, Apeel describes how they apply voltage in their coating process. The goal is to turn the liquid spray into a polymer like wax or plastic.

What effect does this electric charge have on the material, and how does that impact human health? Where are the studies demonstrating absolutely no risk to health?

They don’t exist.

Finally, this patent describes how the grape seed oil is put through “esterification” and “transesterification.” These are processes used to create polyester from plastic and to turn perishable dairy into spreadable, shelf-stable margarine—other examples of toxic food.

Is this what we want in our bodies when consuming fresh fruits and vegetables?

Apeel assures us there are no “trans fats” in their product, but what exactly is the difference between what they are creating using “transesterification” and “trans” fat?

Finally, there is growing concern that the industrial processing of food-based oils is creating a presence of glycidol, which Dr. Michael Gregor explains as harmful in his informative video on his website, NutritionFacts.org.

Link here to an article from the European Food Safety Authority on glycidol in processed fats. Epichlorohydrin 27 is a known carcinogen potentially present in Apeel’s manufacturing.

I’m not a material scientist or a chemist, but I have little trust in a profit-driven company’s ability to regulate itself for human health and safety.

The information my team and I have found raises important questions that need to be answered.

We believe more testing ought to be carried out before this product is applied to our fresh food globally without any notice given to consumers.

NOT SO FAST

We need to pause and ask questions when a company like Apeel aims to coat all edible produce worldwide, backed by its list of ultra-wealthy investors.

Apeel products are already in Target stores around the United States, in Asda stores in the United Kingdom, and in Edeka throughout Germany – three major produce retailers.

** Correction from our initial post: After a trial of selling Apeel-coated foods last year, major United Kingdom grocery chain, Tesco, is now considering next steps, which they wrote about last month in their blog (link here). Contact Tesco here to encourage them to avoid Apeel products in the future! **

Limoneira, a massive California-based citrus supplier, announced last week on its website that they are entering into an exclusive partnership with Apeel to “protect lemons across its supply chain with Apeel’s coating technology.”

This potentially toxic food additive is being deployed so fast worldwide that we cannot measure its impact on human health.

We also need to be able to judge the freshness of our produce effectively. An Apeel-coated apple might be two weeks old and not nearly as nutritious as it was immediately after harvesting, but it will look farm-fresh because of the artificial peel that’s been applied. See the image below.

Image taken from Apeel Sciences, Inc. patent documents

Nature is no longer taking its natural course to signal how fresh a piece of food is. Decay is normal, not a business problem to solve. No matter what Apeel believes.

Are you curious whether Edipeel from Apeel is being used in a grocery store near you?

Find all current retailers of Apeel-coated products on their website’s locator page. There are likely more stores near you carrying Apeel products than you realize. ** This tool is far from accurate. We have learned from readers that many grocery stores selling Apeel-coated products are NOT shown on this tool. Check our new blog for a live list of confirmed locations selling Apeel-coated produce. **

Someone I know found this Apeel label on avocados in their local market just this week and snapped this photo. They only noticed it because I had mentioned Apeel.

HERE’S WHAT WE DON’T KNOW

What happens now?

Apeel will, of course, tell us its product is safe. Regulatory authorities who are likely collaborating with Apeel will, of course, tell us the product is safe.

Until we have detailed studies about the impacts of Apeel’s product on human health, Apeel is just another mysterious food additive.

Will changes be made now that Apeel is approved in its current state? Can Apeel change its formula or add non-organic material without notifying the public or the authorities?

More questions that need answering.

Apeel’s marketing message is that it’s plant-based and natural. So why is it listed as one of the top-growing synthetic biology companies in the world by Forbes? Link here.

Apeel was also recognized as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer in 2018. A technology company does not sell natural products; it sells technologies.

Apeel is taking a natural substance and processing it, making it a non-natural product. Case closed.

Apeel CEO James Rogers even told Food Navigator in 2018 that the intention is someday to use fully synthetic materials instead of organic ones. Link here.

WHEN IN DOUBT, ALWAYS AVOID

When it comes to Apeel, I will do what I always do.

When in doubt, avoid avoid avoid.

Now that I’m aware of some of the grocery stores selling organic and conventional produce coated with Apeel, like Costco, Target, Kroger, and perhaps someday Whole Foods, I will not shop there.

If I shop at stores where Apeel products are sold, I will only purchase produce that the stores have confirmed is not coated.

One of this situation’s most frustrating aspects is the need for more consistency in labeling laws. Sometimes you will find an Apeel logo on a piece of fruit, and sometimes you won’t. It might have an Apeel coating either way.

It’s no wonder chronic illness is skyrocketing worldwide. Just look at how many minuscule toxic exposures we are faced with every day, from our food to air and water pollution to certain medical procedures.

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So I will continue do my research and avoid Apeel as much as possible.

Read below for more ways you can take your power back.

YOU HAVE THE POWER

Below I’ve highlighted six ways you can take your power back regarding Apeel and other mysterious food additives.

And watch this space – revisit this blog. We will continue to update this as a resource as we learn more about Apeel from our own research and from those in our community.

1. 1. Don’t buy what you don’t trust.

      When in doubt, avoid. Don’t buy something you aren’t sure is safe. Don’t risk your health or your family’s health on the word of a profit-driven company and a flawed regulatory system with a horrible track record. Assume something is not safe until proven otherwise.

   2. Contact stores and suppliers – make your voice heard.

      Grocery stores care most about one thing: selling more to more customers. If they don’t hear from customers that Apeel is a problem for them, they’ll gladly stock Apeel-coated products.

      It’s already been proven that grocery stores are saving money by stocking Apeel produce, which does not go bad as quickly, so customer voices have to balance that profit motive. Call or write your local produce managers to ask about Apeel, and tell them you’re uncomfortable buying it. Be sure you mention both EDIPEEL and APEEL, as produce managers may only be aware of one or the other.

      Let me be clear – reducing food waste is an admirable goal. But not at the expense of human health or natural processes.

   3. Mobilize

      We are stronger together. Engage your community by sharing this blog with your family, friends, colleagues, and community members. Discuss toxic foods and how common they are becoming more openly.

      Sign this petition on Change.org to call more attention to Apeel and our concern about its long-term health effects.

      Sign up for my free newsletter, the Intuitive Insider, so that you can stay updated on this story and any new information we learn.

      Fill out the form above to let us know what you’re learning about grocery store chains that are stocking Apeel-coated produce and who is refusing to sell this product. We will compile a list and update this blog with that information.

      Share your stories and progress with us as well. Reply with your thoughts in this post’s comments – how does this make you feel? What are you going to do about it?

      We’ll post stories to help the community bring effective tactics to inform their grocery stores and connections.

   4. Boycott for change.

      Make it clear to the stores you shop with that you will not purchase Apeel products. Leave Apeel products on the shelves. Because these products last longer, grocery stores will notice a downward trend in sales volume as they don’t move as much product. There is always a choice when it comes to how we spend. If this means switching grocery stores, be willing to make a small sacrifice for a greater purpose.

   5. Detox tools.

      When it comes to exposure to food chemicals and toxic foods, it’s essential to take steps to detox. Thankfully we have effective detox tools provided by Medical Medium. Some of those include:

      • The Extractor Smoothie is designed to remove toxic metals and industrial chemicals from the brain and body.
      • Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie
      • Heavy Metal Exposure Brain Shot Therapy
      • Toxic Fragrances Exposure Brain Shot Therapy
      • Daily lemon water and celery juice boost the liver and body’s ability to flush and handle toxins entering our system.

   6. Grow your own food.

      As our food supply is further poisoned by questionable practices and harmful additives, we must become more self-reliant. It’s time to get serious about learning to grow simple foods at home in your garden, in pots on your balcony, or in a tower garden. Grow as much of your own food as possible in your climate, and build relationships with farmers and other home growers to help fill in the gaps.

      My family and I do a lot of home-growing, and it’s so rewarding. The peace of knowing exactly what has gone into and onto our food is priceless. I have several home-growing resources on my blog, see below!

      1) How to Grow Your Own Potatoes
      2) Top 5 Grow-At-Home Herbs
      3) Tips for Seed Buying and Garden Prep
      4) 7 Simple Tips to Start Your Garden
      5) Growing Sprouts at Home

WHEN WILL WE LEARN?

I am constantly shocked at how many more toxic foods enter our food systems. Yet I’m not surprised.

Until a global society demands that companies prioritize health over profit, we will continue to have a food system shrouded in mystery.

It’s so important that we buy our food from trustworthy sources, now more than ever.

I agree with the Weston A. Price Foundation, which states in their article on Apeel, “Ultimately, the arrival of Apeel in the marketplace can serve to remind us of the many reasons to eat local, traditional, organic, biodynamic and chemical-free foods.”

As companies continue to “innovate” to outsmart Nature, the beautiful gifts of the Earthly Mother will go unnoticed, unappreciated, and underutilized.

We have all the answers we need to health already, without scientific papers and technological advancement.

You can’t patent an apple and its healing power, so you have to find a way to patent a coating for the apple to profit from it.

There’s nothing wrong with Nature. There’s nothing to solve when it comes to rotting produce following its natural lifecycle. We are going about the problem of food waste all wrong.

We waste less when we value what we have more. We don’t need corporations to solve a problem we can tackle through greater awareness and intention.

Aren’t you?

Join me in standing up for a healthier vision for our health, food supply, and the planet.

To your health and peace,

Muneeza