Kosher Consumer alert

 

THE KOSHER CONSUMERS UNION, INC.

⚠ CONSUMER ALERT ⚠

APEEL COATING ON FRESH PRODUCE

SERIOUS KASHRUS CONCERNS

 WHAT IS APEEL?

Apeel (also marketed as Edipeel) is an invisible, plant-based edible coating applied directly to fresh produce to extend shelf life. It works by sealing the outer layer of the fruit or vegetable, slowing moisture loss and blocking oxygen. It is designed to withstand normal rinsing and cannot simply be washed off — it is intended to be consumed along with the produce.

AFFECTED PRODUCE

Apeel is currently being applied to the following produce items:

•      Avocados, Cucumbers, Limes, Mandarins, Apples

The concern is most acute for produce where the skin is eaten — cucumbers, apples, limes, and mandarins — as the coating is designed to be consumed along with the fruit.

KASHRUS CONCERNS

1.  No Kosher Certification

Apeel carries no kosher certification of any kind. While the manufacturer has stated that its ingredients are not derived from animal sources, there is no rabbinic supervision or hashgacha of any sort over the production process.

2.  Stam Yeinam / Yayin Nesech — The Grapeseed Issue

Industry reports indicate that Apeel frequently uses grapeseed oil — a cheap byproduct of the commercial wine industry — as its fatty acid source. Uncertified grapeseed derivatives raise a severe Stam Yeinam / Yayin Nesech concern, which is among the most serious kashrus issues in this matter.

3.  Mono- and Diglycerides

Apeel’s active ingredients are mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids — the same emulsifiers that are routinely derived from non-kosher animal fat (tallow) in commercial production. Even where a plant-based source is claimed, physical verification of the facility and supply chain is required before any hechsher can be granted.

4.  Shared Equipment and Processing Solvents

The chemical extraction and purification process uses heat, solvents, and catalysts. Without verified supervision of the processing facilities, there is no assurance that the equipment is free from cross-contamination with non-kosher oils or animal fats.   

 Until a thorough review of Apeel’s specific manufacturing facilities has been completed and proper rabbinic supervision is obtained, produce bearing this coating should not be used without guidance from a competent halachic authority.

The Kosher Consumers Union, Inc.  •  EIN: 16-1719040  •  New Jersey