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Food Safety Works Colorado State University Extension
SafeFood Rapid Response Network

SafeFood News - Summer 1997 - Vol 1, No. 4

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Waxes on Your Summer Fruits & Vegetables

With summer comes a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables. But some consumers have concerns about the use of waxes on fruits and vegetables. Vegetarians may worry that fruits and vegetables contain animal-based waxes, such as oleic acid. The FDA's pesticide monitoring program indicates that pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables are consistently within acceptable safe limits. However, some people still fear that the wax traps pesticides, making the produce unsafe to eat.

A thin wax-like coating is often applied to some fruits and vegetables after harvest. This is mainly to keep the produce fresh longer by sealing in moisture. "Contrary to belief, it is not applied just to make fruits and vegetables look pretty," a United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association brochure says. Some produce that are typically, but not always, coated with wax include apples, melons, grapefruit, peaches, oranges, rutabagas, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes, according to the association. These waxes, or coatings, are regulated by the FDA as food additives approved or "generally recognized as safe" for human consumption. If consumers want to avoid waxed fruits and vegetables, FDA regulations that took effect in 1994 may help them identify the appropriate products for them. These regulations require produce packers or grocers to provide point-of-sale information about the presence of waxes on fresh fruits and vegetables. This information can appear on labels of individual products, packing cartons (if they are used at the point of sale), or on counter cards or signs. The information will say that the product is:

If only one of these types of waxes is applied, the label can simply identify the type, such as "vegetable-based." The FDA also will allow the statement "No wax or resin coating" on fresh produce that does not contain wax.

If they purchase produce with waxes, consumers can reduce their concern by rinsing fruits and vegetables with warm water and, when appropriate, scrubbing with a brush. This will rid the fruit or vegetable of much of the wax.

Source: FDA Consumer, March 1997.

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Updated Monday, August 29, 2011