Organipeel “Apeel”
Have you started seeing the below symbol on your produce?
Apeel is a formulated preservation coating for produce. It is comprised of mono- and diglycerides (Fats) from supposed grape seed oils. This coating is meant to preserve all the produce we consume, Organic and Non-Organic. In general, it is great that someone is finding a way to preserve our produce but at what cost?
Apeel is registered as a pesticide with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). Apeel can be found on Organic and Non-Organic produce. Prohibited materials on Organic crops are most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, growth hormones, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Doing some research on the USDA website there is a public petition to remove or add a substance to their prohibited substances. BUT looking at the rules it states “Generic substances are eligible for petition; formulated (brand name) products are not eligible” therefore, Organipeel “Apeel” is not eligible for public petitioning of removal.
On the EPA approval Page 3 shows this statement.
Reading this is a huge RED FLAG!! It clearly states one of many things:
“Keep out of reach of children” but they are supposed to consume this??
“Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling and before eating-.” Yet this product can NOT be fully removed from produce and again we are supposed to consume this??
Organipeel is FDA approved as well. The FDA has approved Organipeel as “Generally recognized as safe (GRAS)” this means that the product is generally safe. The FDA cannot and will not say with 100% that something is safe due to liability reason hence the term “GRAS”. With that there are certain criteria that a product must meet to have this classification. In this approval they base the “safety” of the product on government recommendations not conducted studies. These recommendations are based on chemicals that are found in the coating, including but not limited to Ethyl Acetate, Heptane, Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Palladium. They also set limits on ingestion of these chemicals and the coating again based on studies of the individual chemicals. These limits were set based on average standards of consumption of fruits and vegetables. Taking these average consumptions, one would consume approximately 54 mg of this coating and the above chemicals per day. That is also on the low end of fruit consumption, the high is 210 mg per day. The studies on the FDA approval are studies conducted on the components of the product not the whole product itself. Some were conducted 20 years before the product was reviewed. All the chemicals and metals mentioned above can cause cancer, organ system toxicity, cardiovascular problems, kidney damage, skin conditions, and liver damage over a period with regular consumption.
Apeel CANNOT be fully removed. You CANNOT see it as it is a clear coating, but it legally required for produce to carry a label. Label shown below.
Produce with these labels have been found at Tom Thumb and Target.
APEEL UPDATE (10/2023):
Below is a list of stores who have Apeel Produce, refuse to sell it or have not commented.
Refuse to Sell Apeel Produce:
Costco, Natural Grocers, HEB, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, and Publix.
Is selling Apeel Produce:
Target, Edeka, Albertsons, Cub Foods, The Fresh Market, Walmart, Bristol Farms, and Fairway. (I have seen Apeel Produce personally at Tom Thumb)
Unknown if selling Apeel Produce:
Whole Foods, Kroger, and Aldi’s.
REMINDER:
ALWAYS check your produce. No matter where you shop, things can change.
This includes Organic produce as well!
All of the above information can be found below.
Resources:
https://www.fda.gov/media/135999/download
https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/092708-00001-20190607.pdf
