I first learned about Apeel [1]’s toxic produce coating from the Deep Roots at Home blog [2] and continued to investigate further. The food you choose to fuel your body has one of the biggest impacts on your healing journey, which is why Essential #1 (of my 7 Essentials System® [3]) is Let Food Be Your Medicine. But sadly, even universally agreed upon known “healthy foods” such as fresh fruits and vegetables can be laced with toxins. This is why you should investigate everything, as I like to do.
Today’s culprit is produce sprayed with the Apeel’s coating. It is an edible plant-based coating that claims to keep fruit fresh twice as long. Apeel’s taglines are: “Plant-based protection that helps the produce you love stay fresh for longer.” And “Apeel gives the entire supply chain more time. That’s better for your business, your customers, and our planet.” While all of that sounds good, peeling back the layers is rather horrifying. It’s another example of how we shouldn’t use chemicals to mess with nature and fresh, wholesome produce.
There is no such thing as “safe chemicals” in your produce.
According to the University Of Columbia School Of Public Health, “95% of all cancer is due to diet and the accumulation of toxins.” Apeel’s invisible coating (which can NOT wash off) is said to be derived from a variety of plant oils (click here [4] for the website page). It also includes some extraction solvents [5], “unintentional, but technically-unavoidable, presence of residues in the foodstuff or food ingredient.” However, “plant oils” and “extraction solvents” could mean anything, so I dug into their dirt. I summarized the important parts below. If you want to get into the weeds, please review their letters to the FDA about food additive safety [6] and submission regarding monoacylglycerides [7].
Currently, this information applies to avocados and cucumbers coated in Apeel’s spray. However, the company says [8] it has also developed ‘solutions’ for limes, mandarins, apples, and oranges. Other applications to follow include “everything from asparagus to pineapples, mangoes, lemons, and tomatoes.”
The information applies to both their Edipeel logo for conventional produce and Organipeel or OMRI logo for organic produce.
What are Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids in Apeel’s produce coating?
Apeel’s website vaguely states [7] that it uses “specifically the food additive mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids” and “residue levels have been set to no more than 10% of the most conservative recommended exposure limit from the literature for each solvent.” First, 10% is quite a lot. Second, Mono- and diglycerides contain trans-fat, which promotes inflammation in the body (learn about inflammation and breast cancer via this blog [9]) and are associated with heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and obesity. Also, the FDA [10] finally recognized the dangers of trans-fat and began requiring manufacturers to list trans-fat on food labels.
Let’s dig deeper. (See page 6 for details. [6])
“Apeel Sciences describes the manufacturing process for monoglycerides, beginning with conversion (protection) of the two primary alcohol groups on the glycerol backbone to non-reactive moieties. Apeel Sciences provides specifications for monoglyceride (≥ 91%) and diglyceride (≤ 7%) levels as well as limits for ethyl acetate (≤ 100 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg)), acetonitrile (≤ 5 mg/kg), toluene (≤ 5 mg/kg), hexane (≤ 25 mg/kg), and individual heavy metals (including LEAD (≤ 1 mg/kg), palladium (≤ 3 mg/kg) and arsenic (≤ 0.2 mg/kg), in the finished product.”
All of the bold words above are dangerous toxins in Apeel’s produce coating. Below is a swift bite into some of the toxins.
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- Toluene: A highly toxic chemical that can bring about a wide range of detrimental health effects (seizures, coma, vomiting, ataxia, headaches, etc.) when inhaled, swallowed, or when it comes into contact with the skin and eyes. (CDC [11])
- Hexane: It has been recognized for more than 40 years to cause long-lasting and even permanent nerve damage in feet, legs, hands, and arms (peripheral neuropathy). (Toxic Free Futures [12])
- Palladium: Should be regarded as highly toxic and carcinogenic. Very low doses are sufficient to cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. (Science Direct [13])
- Arsenic: It can be harmful to the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys, lungs, and lymphatic system. “Exposure to arsenic can also cause cancer.” (CDC [14])
- Lead: No level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects. (WHO [15])
It’s safe to say that produce with Apeel’s toxic coating should never go into your shopping cart. Since they are (or will be soon) in Costco, Trader Joe’s Ralphs, Vons, Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Price Right, etc., you always need to inspect what you buy!
Watch out for everyday products that are highly toxic.
They easily sneak into your day and eat away at your health and healing. Another reason why Essential #2 [3] is: Reduce Your Toxic Exposure. Please read each blog post to learn more and discover safe solutions.
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- Beauty Products [16]. Your skin is your largest detoxification organ. Anything you put on it directly absorbs into your bloodstream and body.
- Female Products. [17] Toxins in these products (pads, tampons, etc.) are absorbed by your mucus membrane and then flow around your body via your bloodstream.
- Dental Products. [18] Many toothpastes, mouthwashes, etc., send toxins directly into your mouth, the gateway to your entire body.
- Tap water. [19] It is a chemical cocktail that goes straight into your body.
How To Survive & Thrive
After reading this blog, your head may be buzzing with questions about what to eat, use, do, etc. My online program, HOW TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE – Conquering Breast Cancer with Conventional Treatments and Natural Medicine [20], provides you with a step-by-step guide with realistic action steps to move you forward.
I invited world-class Medical and Integrative Experts, as well as Conquerors, to share their experiences and insights into your questions.
Author: Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, better known as Dr. V [21], is a Doctor of Chiropractic & has 44 years of experience in the wellness industry. For personalized support, please partner with a trained Breast Cancer Conqueror Coach [22].