What is the layer of wax that you often find on apples?

Answer

Hi Els,

Apples are indeed fruits, like plums, pears, etc., which can produce their own wax (wax is English) on the outside. This is therefore a natural wax or fat-like substance, with obvious functions such as preventing too much moisture loss (even a picked apple is still alive, provided they still have sufficient nutrients and an acceptable environment!), whatever the firmness of the fruit improves, and the natural breakdown of the apples slows down.

The natural wax layer protects the apple, and you can easily rub it off gently so that the apple will shine. As you can guess, this natural wax on the fruit consists of dozens of different chemicals, the main cyclic component being ‘ursolic acid’ which is highly hydrophobic or water repellent.

Here you also have to realize that people like these cannot digest waxy substances. Whether wax is really ‘edible’ is then relative. Humans cannot break down such waxy substances into nutrients that we can absorb into the blood through our intestines. They are indigestible, meaning wax will simply pass through our digestive system, and we will “excrete” it through bowel movements.

Because fruit with a wax layer can be stored for a long time in a controlled environment and will therefore still look fresh when sold, it is logical that a fruit trader likes to have a wax layer on the fruit. However, the trade can wash away the original wax layer to add a new layer. This can just as well be of natural origin (based on lice excretion (Shellac) or from a palm (Carnauba), etc.) But, as you indicate yourself, it can also be petroleum-based, and therefore paraffin (alkanes or linear chains). several tens of carbon atoms in length).

I don’t know what type of wax is used in the Belgian fruit trade (maybe ask VLAM.BE directly for Flanders?), and since we also import a lot of fruit, it also depends on the regulations and processes in the countries of production.

If paraffin is used, then according to the PBT/vPvB EU criteria (PBTs = persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic; and vPvBs = very persistent and very bioaccumulative) you can conclude that paraffin is not currently considered to be persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. We find paraffin in many products. Eating it will therefore rarely give rise to problems.

What many concerned people do, also to wash away spray residues, for example, is to rub your apple with a mini drop of washing-up liquid/detergent, and then rinse it under the tap. This way your ‘fatty’ wax layer (and other substances trapped in it) is gone and you can still consume the vitamin-rich peel with confidence. Tasty!

Ronny Brands