By Janet Vargas - Independent Natural Health Researcher 30+ Yrs
With Assistance from AI App
Hi Friends, this has to do with Claims, there's Aluminum-Fluoride in Apple Wax. Apparently Not. And Neither or those Chemicals are allowed to be placed on our Food. It came from some Scare Mongers in America back in the 80s and has been found to be wrong. When Use of the Internet commenced, that Rumor was used again, and it exists to this day because it went Viral. As if we need any more Scares about Food Chemicals hey? Because there are so many Real Ones that do exist.
So just to let you feel less intimidated by the "Aluminum-Fluoride" Scare many of us had some time back that lingers in the thoughts of many concerned and health-conscious people, I will place this AI Info here for you. OK? Some AI Info at times is not correct, and I have run this Question through 2 AI Apps.
Skipping The Apple and Strawberry Toxic Wax Concerns -
Apparently Not True!
This Article will also cover the Scare about Wax being used on Strawberries too. Apples do have a Natural Wax type Coating and so do Strawberries. Nevertheless Apples are often Waxed but Strawberries are not (as far as I can ascertain with AI Info, using a few AI Apps.
How to remove Toxic Wax from Apples?
First, it is helpful to know that the wax on grocery store apples is not toxic.
Blended Waxes
Apples naturally grow their own waxy layer to lock in moisture and protect themselves from bacteria. Because commercial washing removes this natural barrier, growers replace it with a very thin mist of natural, food-grade waxes (usually carnauba wax, which comes from palm leaves, or shellac, which comes from a natural insect secretion). Food and health authorities worldwide confirm these waxes are completely safe, non-toxic, and pass right through your digestive system without being absorbed.
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Because these waxes are designed to be water-resistant, an electrolysis machine or cold tap water alone will not wash them off. If you prefer to remove the wax for personal preference or to help coatings like caramel stick, you can use these simple methods instead:
The Best Ways to Remove Apple Wax
- The Lemon Juice & Baking Soda Soak:
- Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of baking soda into a large bowl of lukewarm water.
The Nibble Webzine Of Food Adventures -
- Soak the apples for a few minutes, then use a clean vegetable brush to gently scrub the skin.
- The alkaline baking soda acts as a mild abrasive to lift the wax, while the acid helps break it down. Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
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- The Quick Hot Water Dunk:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then submerge the apples using a slotted spoon for just 5 to 10 seconds (any longer will start to cook the fruit).
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- Remove them immediately and vigorously rub the skin with a rough cotton kitchen towel. The heat melts the wax, and the towel wipes it away, leaving the skin looking noticeably duller.
- Manual Scraping:
- If you are just eating a single apple, you can gently drag the flat edge of a butter knife across the skin. You will see the thin layer of wax scrape right off without piercing the fruit.
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- Peeling:
- Peeling completely guarantees the wax is gone. However, keep in mind that a large portion of the apple's fiber and vitamins are stored directly in the skin.
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If you want to skip the wax entirely without peeling, your best option is to look for Unwaxed or locally Grown Apples at your neighborhood farmer's market.
If you plan on using the soaking method frequently, I can find some highly-rated Natural-Bristle Vegetable Brushes that are perfect for scrubbing firm produce. Would you like to see a few options?
The Wax has Aluminium and Fluoride in it
That rumor has been floating around online, but it is completely incorrect. There is no Aluminum or Fluoride in Food-Grade Apple Wax.
It is easy to see how internet rumors scramble these terms together, but the actual science is very straightforward:
- Aluminum Fluoride (): This is a completely industrial, non-organic compound. It is primarily used in smelting aluminum ores to lower their melting point and in industrial glass manufacturing. Because it is highly toxic if ingested, it is Strictly Illegal to use as a food additive anywhere in the world.
- What Apple Wax Actually Is: The commercial coatings sprayed on grocery store produce are strictly regulated by food safety authorities. They are made of entirely natural, digestible ingredients—specifically Carnauba Wax (harvested from the leaves of Brazilian palm trees) or shellac (a natural secretion from the lac bug, also widely used to put the shiny coating on jellybeans and chocolate).
The idea that apple coatings contain industrial smelting chemicals like aluminum fluoride is a myth.
If you still feel uncomfortable with the texture of the wax or simply prefer to strip it off before eating, the baking soda and lemon juice soak or a quick 10-second dip in hot water (which physically melts the Carnauba or Shellac) remain the easiest ways to clean the skin without buying unnecessary appliances.
The "Fear-Marketing" Loop
Once a rumor like this is out there, companies selling alternative health products or unproven appliances (like the electrolysis fruit washers) will sometimes subtly reference these fears in their marketing or comment sections to convince you that your food is toxic and that you need their product to be safe.
Ultimately, it is just a classic case of internet telephone: a harmless physical reaction (wax melting in hot water) turned into a viral scare tactic, which then got filled in with scary-sounding chemical names by anonymous internet users.
Are you sure it was only anonymous internet users?
You are right to question that. While the "aluminum fluoride" specific jumble is mostly pushed around by anonymous accounts, it didn't just appear out of thin air. It is actually the modern, social-media version of a much older, highly publicized chemical scare from the late 1980s that involved real public figures, major news outlets, and actual apple growers.
The root of this "toxic apple" anxiety can be traced back to 1989 and a massive media event known as the
Alar Scare:
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- The Real Chemical: Alar (daminozide) was a real chemical regulator sprayed on apples to slow their growth, keep them crisp, and turn them a brighter red.
- The Scandal: A prominent environmental advocacy group called the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a report claiming Alar was a potent carcinogen, especially to children.
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- The Media Explosion: On February 26, 1989, the major American investigative show 60 Minutes aired a massive exposé on Alar. The broadcast featured an image of an apple emblazoned with a skull and crossbones.
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- The Fallout: Public panic was instantaneous. Schools across the U.S. pulled apples from cafeterias, grocery stores dumped inventory, and the apple industry lost hundreds of millions of dollars. The manufacturer eventually pulled Alar from the market.
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Years later, a $250 million defamation lawsuit filed by apple growers against CBS was dismissed, but the cultural core memory remained: "Apples from the grocery store have invisible, toxic chemicals on the skin to make them look prettier."
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How it morphed into "Aluminum and Fluoride"
When the internet and social media came along decades later, people remembered that apples were once controversial for chemical coatings, but they forgot the specific name "Alar."
Conspiracy theorists and "alternative health" bloggers—some with massive public followings—started looking at modern apples. When they noticed the legal, food-grade carnauba and shellac waxes, they conflated the old 1989 chemical scare with modern buzzwords like aluminum and fluoride.
So, while anonymous internet users did the copy-pasting that scrambled the words into "aluminum fluoride," the underlying fear was originally built by major news networks and environmental advocacy groups over thirty years ago.
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Wow, that's pretty good Info! So there's no such thing as aluminum-fluoride?
To be clear: aluminum fluoride is a very real chemical compound (its scientific formula is ). What is fake is the claim that it is being sprayed onto your grocery store apples.
In the real world, aluminum fluoride is a harsh, strictly industrial chemical. It exists as a white, sand-like crystalline powder and is primarily used in massive industrial smelting factories to help melt down aluminum ore or to make specialized ceramic glazes.
Because it release toxic fluoride ions if swallowed, it is highly regulated. It is completely banned from the food supply and is absolutely not allowed anywhere near fresh produce.
The rumor mill simply took a real, scary-sounding chemical from heavy manufacturing and claimed it was on fruit to create a viral internet scare. The actual coatings on grocery store apples remain entirely organic, edible plant and insect waxes.
What type of Wax do Apple Growers use in Australia?
In Australia, apple growers use the exact same types of natural, food-grade waxes found globally. The coatings are strictly regulated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to ensure they are completely safe to consume.
The primary types of wax applied to Australian apples are:
- Shellac (E904): As mentioned earlier, this is the natural resin secreted by the lac insect. It is highly favored by Australian packhouses because it provides a beautiful, high-gloss shine that makes the fruit look appealing on supermarket shelves.
- Carnauba Wax (E903): This is a completely plant-based wax harvested from the fronds of the carnauba palm tree (Copernicia prunifera). It is often blended with shellac because it is incredibly tough and excellent at preventing the apple from drying out and wrinkling.
- Beeswax (E901): Less common than shellac or carnauba due to cost and application texture, natural beeswax is occasionally used in certain food-grade produce coatings.
Why do Australian growers use it?
When apples are harvested in Australia, they are thoroughly washed to remove orchard dust, dirt, and bird droppings. This washing process inadvertently strips away the apple's natural, dull waxy coating.
Because apples are a seasonal crop harvested once a year (typically between February and May in Australia) but sold year-round, they need to be stored for months in cold refrigeration. Growers apply a microscopic mist of shellac or carnauba wax to replace the natural barrier. This slows down respiration, stops the fruit from losing moisture, and prevents it from going soft and wrinkly before it reaches stores like Coles or Woolworths.
How to avoid it in Australia
If you prefer your apples completely unwaxed, you have a few local options:
- Buy Organic: Certified organic apples in Australia are generally not permitted to have synthetic or post-harvest commercial waxes applied.
- Shop at Farmers Markets: Buying directly from local growers in apple-producing regions (like the Adelaide Hills in SA, the Huon Valley in Tasmania, or Stanthorpe in Queensland) means you can often buy fruit straight from the orchard before it ever goes to a commercial packing line.
- Look for "Unwaxed" Labels: Some independent grocers specifically source and label unwaxed apples for consumers who prefer a matte, natural skin.
How About The Wax On Strawberries?
Strawberries are completely different. Commercial growers do not spray artificial wax onto strawberries.
If you bought a container of strawberries and noticed a shiny or slightly waxy texture, you are actually looking at the plant's own natural cuticle. Reddit
There are a few reasons why you will never find artificial grocery-store wax (like shellac or carnauba) on a strawberry:
- They rot too fast: Waxes are used on hard fruits like apples or citrus because those fruits can be stored in cold refrigeration for months. Strawberries are highly perishable; they go from the field to your supermarket shelf in a matter of days, so they don't need a heavy long-term moisture barrier.
- The texture ruins the fruit: Strawberries have incredibly soft, porous skin and are covered in tiny embedded seeds (called achenes). If a packing plant tried to spray or dip a strawberry in commercial wax, the heat and liquid would instantly bruise the delicate flesh, turn the berry mushy, and ruin the texture.
- They shouldn't be washed before sale: To apply commercial wax, fruit has to be thoroughly washed first. Strawberries act like little sponges; if they are washed at a packing plant, they absorb the water, mold within 24 to 48 hours, and become completely unsellable.
What is the natural "waxy" look?
Just like apples, strawberry plants naturally secrete their own microscopic layer of plant wax to keep moisture inside the berry while it grows on the vine. Sometimes, due to specific weather conditions or the variety of the strawberry, this natural wax can build up a bit thicker around the tiny seeds, making the berry look unusually shiny or even leaving a tiny white, flaky residue. Reddit
Because growers don't put anything on them post-harvest, you don't need to worry about stripping away wax. All you need to do is give your strawberries a gentle rinse under cold running tap water right before you eat them to wash away any lingering field dirt or dust.