The claim

The dangerous food coating called Apeel is not washable and is harmful to health. A safety data sheet speaks of eye damage and skin reactions, as can be read particularly on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram. There may also be a connection to Bill Gates and the World Economic Forum.

Our conclusion

Incorrect! The safety of Apeel coating is beyond question, as confirmed by various sources. The safety data sheet shared actually belonged to a cleaning product from a British company with a similar name.

A shared safety data sheet from Apeel aims to show the harmful consequences of this coating, as written on social media:

Screenshot Facebook
Screenshot Facebook

Clarification: Apeel coating consists of safe plant-based ingredients

The Apeel coating, a product from the US company Apeel Sciences, is intended to keep fruits and vegetables fresher for longer and reduce waste. The company makes it clear on its own FAQ page that the coating consists of plant-based mono- and diglycerides, which are already found in many foods. There is no warning from the company about the product's ingredients, only people with allergies are advised to look out for possible Apeel labels when purchasing or to ask retailers.

However, as it turns out, washing off the coating is difficult and can damage the food.

___STEADY_PAYWALL___

False safety data sheets circulating: Evans Vanodine has nothing to do with Apeel Sciences

The Apeel coating safety data sheet shared online has nothing to do with Apeel Sciences food coating. This is clear at first glance, as the logo at the top of the document and the company details show that this is a data sheet from Evans Vanodine, a British manufacturer of cleaning products. Evans Vanodine markets several products under the Apeel name, including an all-purpose cleaner and a spray cleaner with an orange or citrus scent.

However, the cleaning products and the food coating have nothing to do with each other.

Evans Vanodine states on its website: “Evans Apeel has no association with Apeel Sciences and should not be used to preserve fruits and vegetables.”

The danger warnings contained in the document about possible eye damage or allergic skin reactions are real, but they only refer to cleaning products and have nothing to do with the Apeel coating.

MIMIKAMA
Screenshot of Evans Vanodine's Apeel product page, highlighted by AFP

Authorities and consumer advice centers confirm the safety of Apeel foods

Online posts about Apeel foods in the US and Canada highlighted safety concerns about the coating. However, Apeel Sciences emphasizes that the coating consists of mono- and diglycerides and has been approved by the FDA.

Health Canada approved in 2019 that Apeel could be used because the safety of the coating and its components had already been assessed and found to be safe, AFP reports.

The Berlin Consumer Center has confirmed that the process for coating food has been permitted in the EU since 2019 and that mono- and diglycerides are approved food additives in the EU. However, this layer is only permitted for foods whose peel is not usually eaten.

“The consumption of fruit whose peel has been treated is also considered harmless,” says the consumer advice center. “If the approval is extended in the future to include fruits and vegetables whose peel is eaten, the protective layer can also be eaten. Approval is still pending; it will only be awarded after extensive review.”

In response to an AFP request on April 27, 2023, a spokesman for the European Commission also confirmed that mono- and diglycerides from fatty acids have been approved for use on fruit and vegetables in the EU since 2019. The relevant EU regulation states that "the food additive mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471) does not raise any safety concerns for the specified uses and quantities of use." However, it is noted that the use of these substances is only for external use on food and are not expected to migrate inside fruits.

The Berlin Consumer Center emphasized that foods covered with the protective layer must be labeled, including the “waxed” label on a sticker or on the packaging of oranges online. The additives themselves or the “E number” should also be found on the packaging.

“Apeel is one of the so-called edible coatings, i.e. a 'natural edible protective layer'. It is fundamentally about protecting the fruit or the product from moisture loss through transpiration and the physiological degradation processes during fruit respiration.”

Dominikus Kittemann , professor at the Faculty of Horticulture and Food Technology at Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University, also comments on the method behind Apeel

Are Apeel's mono- and diglycerides safe for use in the food industry?

Apeel's mono- and diglycerides are widely used in the food industry. They are used, among other things, for the production of baked goods, chocolate or margarine. Therefore, Kittemann can hardly imagine the alleged dangers posed by the substances.

For other manufacturers, the coating usually consists of biological materials. This also applies to Apeel, whose components include seeds, peel and pulp.

Professor Jürgen König , an expert in nutritional sciences at the University of Vienna, explains that the components of Apeel, which occur naturally and are also formed in the digestion process of fats, are proven to be safe. There is also no limit for their intake. However, König specifies that the components of Apeel are obtained from fats (triglycerides) of various fat-producing plants, although Apeel's statement that the components of the coating contain seeds, peels and pulp is not incorrect.

Coating of fruit and vegetables: price driver or advantage for retailers?

The postings further claim that the coating with Apeel is a price driver for fruit and vegetables. However, the Berlin Consumer Center explains that pricing is very opaque and depends on many factors, which is why it is difficult to determine whether the higher prices are solely due to the use of the coating process. However, it can currently be observed that products with Apeel are slightly more expensive than products without this coating.

Although retailers could also benefit from reduced food losses through the use of Apeel, this advantage does not appear to be passed on to consumers. However, it should be noted that surface treatment is already common for fruit and vegetables and not only Apeel but also other products are used.

Apeel Sciences itself explains that the price of the products is set by the retailer and is determined by various factors. However, the coating could lead to consumers noticing a price difference between protected and unprotected products.

Coating with Apeel can extend the shelf life of food by slowing down the ripening process and losing less CO2. The Berlin consumer advice center also confirms this. However, it is not yet clear how the coating affects the nutrient content.

At least theoretically, the coating could save plastic. However, the method does not offer any special protection against mechanical stress, which is why it cannot be used everywhere. Some foods for which Apeel is used also do not require plastic packaging, which means no plastic is saved.

Support from the Gates Foundation?

Regarding Apeel Sciences' alleged support from Bill Gates and the World Economic Forum, the company emphasizes that the funding was provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2012 and 2015 to support the development of plant-based protection technology . However, it is important to emphasize that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is not currently an active investor in Apeel Sciences.

Apeel Sciences is also a member of the World Economic Forum and was recognized as a “WEF Technology Pioneer” in 2018. James Rogers, the founder of Apeel Sciences, was named a WEF Young Global Leader in 2020. These awards are part of programs designed to connect executives and innovative companies.

Although Apeel Sciences has faced criticism from some consumers and critics due to its coating technology and its alleged ties to Bill Gates and the WEF, the company appears to be successful and is supported by retailers such as Edeka and Netto in Germany, as well as numerous other retailers worldwide.

Conclusion

Rating: FALSE

The safety of Apeel coating is beyond question, as confirmed by various sources. Both experts as well as the European Commission and the Berlin Consumer Center emphasize that the components of the coating are harmless. A claim shared online that a safety data sheet belonged to the product turned out to be false and actually belonged to a cleaning product from a British company with a similar name.

Source:

AFP

You might also be interested in: Rapeseed: How dangerous is it for dogs?

Note: This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication
.
The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic.