Ban the Apeel coating that has just hit the organic market.
Its an odorless & tasteless coating funded by bill gates.
Apeel Coating on Organic Foods
Apeel Sciences, a company backed by Andreessen Horowitz and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has developed an edible coating called Organipeel for organic produce. The coating is designed to extend shelf life and reduce food waste. However, concerns have been raised about the transparency and safety of the coating’s ingredients.
Key Ingredients:
- Citric acid (0.66%): a recognized safe ingredient for use in foods.
- Mono- and diglycerides (99.34%): derived from grapeseed oil, but the exact formulation remains undisclosed.
Concerns:
- Lack of transparency: Apeel has not publicly disclosed the exact composition of the 99.34% formulation, raising concerns about potential allergens, residues, and environmental impacts.
- Potential allergens: Mono- and diglycerides can contain small amounts of trans fats, which may be problematic for individuals with specific dietary restrictions or allergies.
- Residues and environmental impacts: The processing of grapeseed oil into mono- and diglycerides may involve solvents and heavy metals, potentially leaving residues on the coated produce.
- Regulatory inconsistencies: Apeel’s Organipeel coating is listed by the Organic Material Review Institute (OMRI) as a fungicide for post-harvest use in organic production, but its use as a coating on organic produce is not explicitly approved by the USDA.
Market Presence:
- Organipeel is being used on organic apples in Idaho and Germany.
- Edipeel (the conventional version) is used on conventional produce, including avocados, citrus fruits, apples, and cucumbers.
Industry Reactions:
- Natural Grocers: The company has banned Apeel-coated produce from its stores, citing concerns about transparency and safety.
- OrganicEye: The organization has called for greater transparency and stricter regulations regarding Apeel’s coating ingredients.