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  • 2016-05-03 (xsd:date)
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  • Wax on Apples Causes Cancer? (en)
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  • In April 2016, the web site MetaSpoon published a blog post (titled: He Pours Boiling Water On An Apple From The Grocery Store. Watch What Appears On The Skin... GROSS!) which held that the wax used to preserve fruits are riddled with pesticides: The post linked to a January 2016 YouTube video, during which a person uses boiling water to remove the wax from apples. That person claimed waxed apples cause cancer: In the clip, the individual gave no information to substantiate the claim. He also noted that the apples changed color when exposed to boiling water, a procedure familiar to many viewers, and which is most commonly described as cooking. (Apples are not the only fruits that darken in color when exposed to direct and sustained heat.) The clip's initial fallacy hinged on the implication that wax on apples was a little-known secret. However, according to the Food and Drug Administration, waxed produce is widely, openly available and safe [PDF]: The Produce Marketing Association (an international trade group) reiterated the FDA's explanation of waxed apples and other produce items. The PMA also explained that the substances used are always subject to strict FDA scrutiny, and are safe to eat even when whitened due to exposure to extreme temperatures. That document outlined guidelines for use of wax on produce in general: The topic also was addressed by food safety experts at Best Food Facts. According to their analysis, not only do apples often produce their own wax (dependent on crop variables), but that an apple's natural wax contained a component that inhibits (not encourages) cancer cell growth: Apples weren't always coated with additional wax, as they often are harvested with a natural coating of wax. However, all wax used on apples is subject to FDA guidelines for food safe additives, and none of the waxed apples cause cancer claims we found included a single known carcinogen commonly used in the process. Waxing apples is widely deemed both a safe and often natural occurrence, and the use of wax to coat apples is neither a secret nor credible health risk. While there are some credible concerns about harmful pesticides caught in the wax used to coat apples and other fruits and vegetables, there are easy ways to avoid or minimize the risk of ingesting them. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, a collaborative effort between Oregon State University and the Environmental Protection Agency, most pesticide residues can be removed by rinsing fruits with water or scrubbing them with a soft brush. More information about what pesticides are in the food supply and how to avoid them can be found in this March 2015 report. However, the overall risks of pesticide residue are quite low, even with conventionally grown produce, and since the Food Quality Protection Act was passed in 1996, very tightly regulated in the United States. However, wax on an apple is not a visual representation of trapped pesticides, nor is it an indication that any chemicals or toxic substances are present. (en)
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