You’re not imagining it: your apple does have a waxy coat on its skin.
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The TikToker, user @apple.girl.kait, isn’t sharing her hard-earned knowledge for any old reason. This seasoned apple farmer says that she wants people to know the real truth about apple wax so that they don’t believe some of the myths that are being spread around on social media about what she calls a “superfood.”
You can find out the truth about apple wax — including what it looks like and where it comes from — below.
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Why is there wax on apples?
Despite claims to the contrary, apple wax is a naturally occurring substance. At least, that’s how apple grower Kati Thornton explained it to her followers.
Thornton shared a video featuring two different apples from her farm, one freshly picked fruit and one that had gone through the cleaning process. The fresh apple, while appearing dirty, had a layer of clay on it to protect it from sunburn, she explained.
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The other apple was much more polished and appeared to have a high shine, something Thornton attributed to the cleaning process. Thornton picked up the apple and showed her followers how much of that shine was from cleaning and how much was from a layer of wax coating the apple by gently scraping it with a knife.
Thornton then explained to her followers that this wax was added to help prevent food waste and to keep the apples from spoiling after cleaning.
When she picked up the fresh apple and scraped it with a knife, Thornton revealed apples naturally produce their own wax, which they do as part of the evolutionary process to make themselves more appealing to creatures that would eat them and spread their seeds.
Don’t just take Thornton’s word for it; McGill University writes, “the fruit is coated with a layer of natural wax that protects it from drying out and helps to prevent fungi from getting a foothold.”
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Here’s how to get the wax off apples:
Of course, some people may not be too keen on eating apple wax, even if Thornton did say that natural waxes, such as carnauba, beeswax, and shellac, are safe to consume.
For those who wish to remove the fine layer of wax, Thornton says the best process involves running the fruit under warm water before drying it with a clean towel.
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If you want to up your game and use something a little stronger than warm water, Real Simple suggests tapping into the cleaning power of baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice. After rinsing the apple, the magazine suggests mixing a single teaspoon of baking soda and two cups of water (or a single spoonful for every two cups that you end up using to fill your bowl).
This can help clean your apples and remove the wax coating.
If you’re dissatisfied with that approach, you can create a vinegar wash using 1/3 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water. Pro tip: subdue the taste of vinegar by adding a tablespoon of lemon to the mix. You can then spray (or soak) your apples in this mix for up to 15 minutes before wiping them clean.
