{"id":878190,"date":"2026-10-11T04:26:44","date_gmt":"2026-10-11T04:26:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/878190\/"},"modified":"2026-10-11T04:26:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T04:26:44","slug":"is-it-safe-to-eat-the-wax-on-apples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/878190\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Safe To Eat The Wax On Apples?"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Robert Kennedy Jr.<\/a> to online influencers<\/a> with large followings, there is no shortage of unqualified \u201cexperts\u201d doling out medical advice these days. Even though most of us should know better, if we see a claim repeated enough times, we may start to believe it<\/a> \u2014 no matter how far-fetched it sounds. <\/p>\n

One of the latest claims making the rounds on social media is that the wax used to coat apples is harmful<\/a> and should be removed before eating. Thanks to this fearmongering, some people avoid<\/a> eating apples altogether. Others painstakingly soak them in a baking soda mix and scrub them<\/a> clean or boil<\/a> their fruit before eating. <\/p>\n

I, for one, am much more likely to get my recommended daily intake of fruits and veggies if I can give them a quick wash and munch away. I wanted to know whether all the trouble these influencers go through is really necessary. I asked a family medicine doctor and a food safety expert whether there is anything behind these claims, or if we can go back to munching on apples carefree. <\/p>\n

Why are apples coated in wax anyway?<\/p>\n

\u201cWaxing is a quality-preservation step, not a food safety hazard,\u201d explained Carla L. Schwan<\/a>, an assistant professor and food safety extension specialist in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Georgia. Apples and other produce naturally produce a thin, waxy coating called a cuticle or a \u201cbloom.\u201d This natural wax helps the fruit retain moisture and resist microorganisms, but much of it is removed during the commercial washing and handling that typically occurs after apples are harvested. <\/p>\n

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Illustration: HuffPost; Photo: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Although wax helps apples look shiny and more appealing, the primary reason apple producers coat apples in wax is to replace the natural wax that\u2019s lost during production. A thin, food-grade wax coating helps the fruit retain moisture during storage and transport, Schwan explained.<\/p>\n

Apple producers around the world<\/a>, including in the European Union, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United States, apply wax to apples. Doing so is \u201ccritical since apples are often stored for months under refrigerated conditions. Without the wax coating, apples would lose water more quickly, shrink, become soft and wrinkle, reducing quality,\u201d Schwan explained. Without edible waxes, over a third of apples would spoil<\/a> before reaching a retailer. <\/p>\n

Is the wax applied on apples safe to eat?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we know: Fruit and vegetable producers have been applying wax on produce since 1924<\/a>, more than 100 years ago. Today, all waxes used on apples in the U.S. are deemed food-grade, safe to eat and Food and Drug Administration-approved. <\/p>\n

These waxes are \u201coften derived from natural sources such as shellac or carnauba wax from palm leaves. Sometimes, apple producers mix the type of wax they use to achieve the right balance of shine, moisture barrier and texture,\u201d Schwan explained. If you\u2019re skeptical about eating ingredients with names like shellac or carnauba wax, you\u2019re not alone. But a panel of scientists from the European Food Safety Authority<\/a> found that \u201cthere is no concern for genotoxicity\u201d for the use of carnauba wax as a food additive, such as in apple wax, and its use \u201cwould not be of safety concern.\u201d Similarly, in 2025, an EU commission<\/a> found that shellac \u201cis not liable to have an effect on human health\u201d when used as a coating for fruit. <\/p>\n

These waxes have the designation of Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the FDA<\/a>. Although some items on the GRAS list are banned in other countries, the ingredients used in apple wax are approved for use by various food safety bodies around the world, including the European Union<\/a>, the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety<\/a> and the United Nations\u2019 Food and Agricultural Organization and World Health Organization<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still feeling uneasy about eating apples coated with wax, it may be reassuring to know that only about one drop of wax per apple is typically used, explained Dr. Alex McDonald<\/a>, a family medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente Southern California. However, he emphasized that eating large amounts of wax-coated apples doesn\u2019t change how safe they are to eat. \u201cThere is no known dangerous amount of consumed food-grade wax on fruit. Eating one apple or 10 apples makes no meaningful difference in wax safety because the coating is such a tiny fraction of the fruit and isn\u2019t toxic,\u201d he explained. <\/p>\n

What happens to the wax you eat? <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering what happens to the wax on apples after you eat them, the answer is simple. \u201cThe wax is not absorbed and passes through your digestive tract,\u201d McDonald explained. Once that happens, it is excreted in your feces. <\/p>\n

One more thing: The time it takes to remove wax from apples may be more harmful than anything if it prevents you from eating them. \u201cMost Americans don\u2019t get enough fruits and fiber in their diet and apples are a great way to get more fiber and nutrients to keep themselves healthy. After all, an apple a day keeps the doctor away,\u201d McDonald said. <\/p>\n