Fresh produce now a “processed” food?

You may have noticed a disturbing new trend in the “fresh produce” aisle of your local supermarket. [Click here](1770d7/ct0_0/1/ms?sid=TV2%3Aer2islAZm) to view this message in your browser | [Click here](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3Aer2islAZm) to stop receiving our messages [] [] Al Sears, MD 11905 Southern Blvd. Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 [] September 14, 2023 [] Reader, You may have noticed a disturbing new trend in the “fresh produce” aisle of your local supermarket. My patients told me about it. And I was horrified once I looked into it. Smack in the middle of the organic section, I discovered a colorful range of pristine-looking apples, avocados, oranges, mangos, and more. Almost every piece of produce had a little sticky label on it with the words: “Apeel: Plant-Based Protection. Longer-Lasting Produce.” Sure, it sounds great. But it’s highly deceptive and dangerous to your health. [apeel] Ingredients in the new Apeel food coating have turned fresh produce into a processed product. Let me explain… Apeel is a clear, odorless food coating. It was invented by a Californian scientist whose company got its start 10 years ago with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation along with other fat cats at the World Economic Forum. Today, this chemical additive has been applied to fruits and vegetables in more than 65 countries. The idea is that this so-called “natural coating” can keep fruits and vegetables fresh far longer than nature intended. And that would extend travel time and shelf life – and prevent them from rotting once you brought them home. Apeel works by sealing moisture inside the produce while keeping oxygen out. This slows water loss and oxidation, the primary causes of food spoilage. But there’s a problem. Although the Apeel-coated foods you’re buying look fresh, there is absolutely no guarantee that they are. Your avocado might look like it was picked yesterday from a nearby organic farm…but it could be more than a month old. Of course, that’s important because as fruits and vegetables age, they lose even more of their nutritional value. But that’s not the only problem… Apeel is marketed as all-natural because it contains 0.66% citric acid. The other 99.34% of ingredients remain unlisted. Yet, a little digging reveals that the main ingredients in Apeel are monoacylglycerides. These are fatty acids that contain trans fats, which have been linked to cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.3,4 Monoacylglycerides are commonly used as food additives in processed foods. At the same time, Apeel’s GRAS (generally recognized as safe) submission to the FDA also revealed a range of toxic heavy metal residues left in the finished coating, including… - Palladium - Arsenic - Lead - Cadmium - Mercury What to know before you buy As of today, Apeel coating is less common in organic produce than non-organic. Here’s what I recommend before purchasing any produce: - Know the source of your produce: I love shopping at the farmer’s market near my house. It makes me feel good to know where my food is coming from. I’ve gotten to know the farmer at my market personally. She’s shown me the organic seeds she plants and has let me see the type of soil she uses. We even talk about her natural methods of keeping nutrients in the soil and deterring bugs. If you buy from your local, trusted organic farmer, you ensure your produce has suffered the least possible nutrient depletion. That means your body benefits more. - Clean produce properly: If you buy from a supermarket, you can use a 10% salt water solution to effectively remove common pesticide residues. Rinse with fresh water afterward. You can also use bicarbonate of soda to clean your fruits and vegetables. Add 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate to 2 cups of water and soak for 15 minutes. - Learn proper storage techniques: Keeping your perishable produce perky once you get them home can be a real challenge. The first step is to select the freshest fruits and veggies possible. Leafy greens should be richly colored and without limp or yellowing leaves, which is a signal they’re past their prime. And when choosing root vegetables, cabbages, squash, and onions, they should always appear heavy for their size and come without blemishes or soft spots. When storing fresh produce, you have to consider temperature. Produce that keeps best at room temperature needs air circulation. Plastic bags cause premature spoilage. And refrigerated produce stays fresh longer when sealed. - Make your voice heard. I’m really pleased and proud that my local grocery store chain has banned the use of Apeel on all their produce. But if your store is selling products coated with it – and you’re sick and tired of being ignored by Big Food – you need to take action today. I suggest you: ✔ Contact suppliers who use Apeel and tell them to stop. ✔ Contact grocery stores that sell Apeel-coated produce and tell them you refuse to buy it. ✔ Contact suppliers and stores that don’t currently sell Apeel-coated products and encourage them to avoid it. ✔ Sign the petition to have Apeel banned until more research is done. To make your voice heard, [click this link](1770d7/ct1_0/1/lu?sid=TV2%3Aer2islAZm). To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS --------------------------------------------------------------- References: - CISCO. “Safety Data Sheet: Heptane.” Available at: - New Jersey Department of Health. “Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet.” - Pipoyan D, et al. “The effect of trans fatty acids on human health: Regulation and consumption patterns.” Foods. 2021 Oct 14;10(10):2452. - Corkey BE. “Diabetes: Have we got it all wrong: insulin hypersecretion and food additives: cause of obesity and diabetes?” Diabetes Care 2012;35(12):2432–2437 --------------------------------------------------------------- alsearsmd@send.alsearsmd.com [Preferences | Unsubscribe](1770d7/l-002e/zout?sid=TV2%3Aer2islAZm) 11905 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411, United States