Fruit Coatings
A Technical Information Bulletin
of the
Northwest Horticultural Council
Fruit Coatings
Coatings may be applied to fresh apples, as well as other
fruits and vegetables, to prevent moisture loss, shriveling, enhance
appearance, and maintain firmness during handling and storage.
Fruit coatings used by the Northwest tree fruit industry
are from two natural sources. Carnauba wax is shaken from the harvested
leaves of the carnauba palm. Shellac wax is a resin secreted by the lac
beetle, an insect found in Asia, to protect its eggs. Lac production by
this insect is similar to honey production by bees. No
synthetic-based waxes are used.
Coatings help to maintain fruit quality and replace the
small amount of natural wax removed when fruit is washed prior to packing.
One gallon of wax covers up to 12,000 pounds of fruit. According to
research conducted at Washington State University there are no detectable
differences in amount or kind of wax present when comparing unwashed and
unwaxed apples versus apples that were waxed.
Both carnauba and shellac are approved for food additive
use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have been used on
produce for decades. These same ingredients are also approved for use as
food additives in candy, pastry and pharmaceuticals. Fruit packers
are required by the FDA to report the type of wax used in an ingredient
statement on the side panel of the wholesale container.
Under certain conditions of high humidity or moisture,
apples coated with shellac wax can take on a milky appearance. The
whitening of a shellac coating is actually a cracking of the coating,
which occurs when free moisture, or condensation, is present on the
surface of the fruit. When this happens only a physical change of
the shellac occurs. The edibility or taste of the product is not
affected.
Northwest fruit producers recognize that consumers have
diverse dietary needs. No waxes are used that are derived from dairy or
other animal sources and not all fruit is coated prior to distribution to
retail markets.
The Northwest Horticultural Council represents
the deciduous tree fruit industry of Idaho, Oregon and Washington on
national and international policy issues affecting growers and shippers.
For further information, please contact Dr. Mike Willett, Vice President
for Scientific Affairs, at (509) 453-3193 or email at willett@nwhort.org.
