Boycott Apeel coated produce worldwide until further testing is done

Boycott Apeel coated produce worldwide until further testing is done

Started
May 18, 2023
Signatures: 16,852Next Goal: 25,000
93 people signed this week

Why this petition matters

Started by Nathan Gardner

Apeel Sciences, Inc. has deployed a sprayed product worldwide that coats fresh fruits and vegetables with a manufactured material without consumer consent. 

Read more here for a comprehensive article on what Apeel actually contains, why we should be concerned, and how the facts differ from the marketing messages. And visit this blog for a list of stores selling Apeel-coated produce with contact info and sample letters so you can make a difference right now.

** UPDATE: We've had a major win. Massive produce supplier Stemilt Growers in Washington, USA has discontinued use of Apeel coating technology on its organic apples as of May 19, 2023. KEEP SHARING so other suppliers follow! **

Although regulatory organizations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, and much of the European Union (including Germany, Poland, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, and many more) have approved Apeel's product for use on fresh produce, including ORGANIC PRODUCE which is meant to be free from all industrial contamination, we are not convinced that it is safe. 

According to Apeel's own FDA documents, the manufacturing process which creates Apeel from grape seed oil involves toxic heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, and lead, and also involves toxic solvents like ethyl acetate and heptane. These minuscule amounts of toxins build up in the human body over time and can contribute to countless health conditions. 

Apeel's marketing message is all about how natural their edible product is, and how their goal is to help solve food waste. In reality, this product is designed to maximize profit for grocery store food chains and for Apeel itself as its cheaply-produced product is applied in greater volume globally. 

Apeel's own website states that it is impossible to remove their coating fully from fruits and vegetables without damaging them so consumers have no way to prevent their exposure to the product. 

While the currently approved industrial Apeel product might be generally safe for consumption according to the United States FDA and other regulatory bodies, do we have the assurance from Apeel that they will not move to a synthetic coating in the future, posing greater health risks? Are we certain that Apeel is disclosing every single element of its current formulation? 

Apeel was founded in 2012 with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In just 10 years, it grew to a valuation of over a billion dollars with additional investment from Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, the Rockefeller Foundation, and others. Apeel was named a 2018 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, which is curious considering Apeel is marketed as an all-natural product, not a technology.

It's clear wealthy interests want to spread Apeel all over our fresh fruits and vegetables for their own benefit. But what is the cost to human health, especially as this product is applied to the most nutritious food available to us? With Apeel, buying an organic apple no longer means eating only an organic apple 

Everything from organic apples at Costco in the United States to strawberries, asparagus, pineapple, melons, cucumbers, and more are already being sprayed with Apeel, yet consumers are barely aware of it. Lemons and avocados in Germany are covered in Apeel - are consumers aware that this coating penetrates the outer skin of produce? 

Apeel needs to be examined more closely for its impact on human health both in the short-term and in the long term. Consumers deserve to know that their food is being covered in this manufactured product which is NOT natural. It has gone through high heat, applied voltage, and other forms of processing according to patents and FDA documents submitted by Apeel. 

Sign this petition to demand that Apeel carry out more testing on its products and to halt the uninformed spread of Apeel coating on fresh fruits and vegetables around the world. 

Share this petition to spread awareness to demand better labeling and informed consent around our global food supply. We have power when we work together.

To stay posted on updates, developments, and actions you can take sign up for this newsletter from the author of the blogs posted earlier. Thank you for reading and thank you for signing.

93 people signed this week
Signatures: 16,852Next Goal: 25,000
93 people signed this week
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