Is apple peal safe to eat?

January 13, 2009 12:14 PM

Whenever I buy apples I notice that they are covered in a white wax-like substance easily noticeable if you scratch the apple with a knife. What is it and is it safe to eat apples un-pealed?
posted by bargainhunter to Health & Fitness (8 answers total)

As far as I know, it is just wax. The apples that I buy off season at the grocery store have wax on them to help them keep longer.
posted by Ctrl_Alt_ep at 12:15 PM on January 13, 2009

Apple waxing.
posted by 517 at 12:19 PM on January 13, 2009

Stores do wax their fruit, but apples also make their own waxy coating, which is why they've always been such great winter staples.

Also, here is a PR piece explaining why Wax Is Great. I don't know how reliable it is, but it's interesting.
posted by small_ruminant at 12:22 PM on January 13, 2009

Apple Lustr.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 1:17 PM on January 13, 2009

Wash your apples with vinegar. You should probably be more concerned with what you can't see (bacteria) than what you can see (wax).
posted by MonkeyToes at 1:41 PM on January 13, 2009

make your own vegetable wash
posted by slograffiti at 1:48 PM on January 13, 2009 [1 favorite]

Along the lines of MonkeyToes' response--(non-organic) apples are some of the more heavily pesticided produce out there, so if you want to worry, worry about that instead.
posted by Herkimer at 5:38 PM on January 13, 2009

Buy organic. No unnatural wax.
posted by whiskeyspider at 8:08 PM on January 13, 2009