Grocery Shopping with Joe Guy

[Long Run]

It's impossible to prove anyway because by the time the symptoms emerge the contact and the surface are long gone.

Except we know the studies are right (that fomite transmission is a nonissue) because of places like grocery stores which are full of surfaces and people touching the surfaces, and stores are very low COVID risk areas (due to the low risk of respiratory transmission). Same with offices -- lots of surfaces but as long as distance and mask protocols are followed, offices are very low risk places as well.

That said, no one should go around licking door knobs, and regular hand washing is just a good overall health practice. But I would agree that Joe goes much farther than me or anyone I know with respect to trying to limit touching. Joe, you were at much greater risk of aerial transmission from the Mr. Green Bean than his extreme culling.

[Joe Guy]

.......Joe, you were at much greater risk of aerial transmission from the Mr. Green Bean than his extreme culling.

It doesn't matter. The man ruined my appetite for green beans and I'm offended by his actions. I should be compensated and people should feel sorry for me.

[Jarlaxle]

I used to peel cucumbers, but the rind is so good for you! Almost all of the nutritional value of cucumbers is in the rind and the seeds. And the rind makes the salad pretty, too.

I typically wash cucumbers with a little bit of soapy water because the wax on them is often pretty substantial. I just make sure all the soap is rinsed off so they don’t taste funny.

Wal-Mart in MA sells unwaxed cucumbers.

[Gob]

Waxed cucumbers?

[dales]

Use your imagination, Gob.

[Gob]

I was, that's the problem.....

[Jarlaxle]

Waxed cucumbers?

Most cucumbers sold at the market are waxed.

[BoSoxGal]

It’s food grade wax so doesn’t technically need washing off, but I prefer them wax free. The wax protects the cucumber and preserves it longer by preventing moisture loss. It also makes the cucumber shiny and pretty and more appealing to the eye, or so they say.

Yes, I prefer produce from the farmers market in season and when possible- farmer’s markets can be very pricey where I live.

Here’s a list of produce types frequently waxed:

apples
avocados
bell and hot peppers
cantaloupes
cucumbers
eggplant
grapefruit
lemons
limes
mangoes
melons
nectarines
oranges
papayas
parsnips
passion fruit
peaches
pears
pineapple
plums
pumpkins
rutabaga
squash
sweet potatoes
tangarines
tomatoes
turnips
yucca

[Gob]

Madness

[ex-khobar Andy]

Madness

Not sure what your point is, Gob. Under EU several natural and artificial waxes were approved and used much as they are in US and given E numbers 900 to 909. E.g., E900 = beeswax, E902 = candelilla wax etc. Certainly under the Brexit transition period UK food regs were the same as EU but I am not sure how they have changed since then and a few minutes with Mr Google has not helped.

Under US organic food regulations some degree of waxing is allowed in order to preserve produce appearance and to aid in prolonging shelf life. Most waxes (e.g. beeswax and candelilla etc) are in fact 'natural' products (e.g., candelilla is obtained by boiling the leaves and stems of the " Candelilla shrub native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, Euphorbia cerifera and Euphorbia antisyphilitica, from the family Euphorbiaceae. It is yellowish-brown, hard, brittle, aromatic, and opaque to translucent." (Copied from Wikipedia.). I have not looked up current UK organic regulations.

[Gob]

Just because they were approved, doesn't mean they were used. I cannot think of when I have bought waxed veg.

People have different ideas...

[BoSoxGal]

Just because they were approved, doesn't mean they were used. I cannot think of when I have bought waxed veg.

People have different ideas...

Most people don’t think they’re buying waxed veg or fruit. Most people don’t even known it’s a thing or that it’s there. That is kind of the point. If you have shopped for fruit and veg at a major retail grocery in your lifetime, you’ve bought and consumed waxed produce. You’re very naive to think otherwise.

[Gob]

I do not live in the US, it's only on some citrus fruits, and then only in certain supermarkets here.

[BoSoxGal]

I do not live in the US, it's only on some citrus fruits, and then only in certain supermarkets here.

Again, Gob, this is a global practice in the produce industry beginning in the 1920s/30s. But you tell yourself whatever floats your boat.

Here’s a 2016 article in The Sun discussing wax on apples and how to remove it if desired: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thesun ... t-off/amp/

[Gob]

You show me otherwise. I live here, apart from some citrus fruits, it's not common.

[BoSoxGal]

You show me otherwise. I live here, apart from some citrus fruits, it's not common.

M’kay. Since it’s food grade wax and is hardly detectable, what you don’t know or refuse to acknowledge won’t hurt you. Keep calm and carry on!

[Gob]

Well, as I've looked into it, and most sources state that "apart from some citrus fruits, it's not common," I hardly think I'm going to get "hurt".

[BoSoxGal]

Well, as I've looked into it, and most sources state that "apart from some citrus fruits, it's not common," I hardly think I'm going to get "hurt".

Please provide these sources, as all the information I can find shows it is a common practice globally in the produce industry - as acknowledged in The Sun article I posted above certainly such produce is present in the UK.

Absent regulations outlawing the wax, why on earth would the produce industry process produce differently for the UK? It would only cost them significantly more, including in spoiled product. I’m sure much of the produce in the UK is imported from South American countries and countries elsewhere in the world where the practice is industry standard.

The grocery stores aren’t going to advertise this and probably won’t be very forthcoming where customers inquire. Nevertheless it is the long-standing industry practice of many decades, and I have no doubt you have eaten much waxed produce in your life - assuming you eat produce.

Not sure why your grandad pants are in such a twist over this, anyway. It is FOOD GRADE WAX. It is commonly used in the food industry. It is on chocolates and cheese too, I’m sure you’ve eaten it in that form unbeknownst to you.

Whatever keep on keeping on.

[BoSoxGal]

Why Fruit Has a Fake Wax Coating
For centuries, artificial protective coatings have preserved and protected foods—and made them look more appealing. An Object Lesson.

[BoSoxGal]

This is not new fangled, nor is it American in origin.

3 Facts About Food Waxes

In the grocery supply chain, food preservation is essential because food needs to be fresh and edible when it sits in the supermarket. Manufacturers find many ways to protect food from spoilage, making sure it’s in good condition for customers to consume. One of the methods industries use for preserving foods is food wax.

Did you know there are types of waxes used in many of your favorite foods? Wax can be used for protecting cheese, candy, fruit, vegetables and more to help preserve and give products a glossy polished look. Today we’re going to take a look at three facts about food waxes.

Learn More About Food Coating Wax

1. How It Works

Wax is used on many popular foods, including cheeses, fruit snacks, Skittles, M&Ms, fruits, vegetables and more. This might sound strange at first, but there’s a good reason to use wax. Wax helps keep foods looking and tasting fresh. Wax is particularly useful for fruits like apples because it helps them retain moisture, enhances firmness and slows down the natural degradation process.

Note that food-grade wax differs from other types of wax substances. It’s important to know that only some types of wax are recognized as safe for food contact.

2. Types of Waxes And Their Uses

There are two types of waxes commonly used for food coatings and applications — paraffin wax and carnauba wax. Both types of waxes are safe to ingest and provide various benefits for food protection and quality.

Paraffin Wax

Paraffin wax is derived from refining light to medium lubricating oil and is often nearly colorless and odorless. Paraffin wax is used to make fruits, vegetables and candy look shiny. Food-grade paraffin wax is composed of vegetable oils, palm oil derivatives, synthetic resins and other materials.

Paraffin wax acts as a chemical preservative for food and helps foods look great and continue to stay fresh. Food-grade paraffin wax is edible and provides foods with both functional and appearance purposes. This type of wax can give chocolate a shiny coating. When chocolate is combined with paraffin wax, it will refrain from melting at room temperature or stay solid in someone’s hand.

Paraffin wax can also help prolong the shelf life of produce. The paraffin wax is sprayed on various vegetables and fruits to give them a shiny look and help them retain moisture. The coating can easily be washed away once the person takes them home and runs the produce underwater.

Carnauba Wax

Carnauba wax come comes from the leaves of the carnauba palm, which grows in northeastern Brazil. The wax is collected by beating the dried leaves to free the yellowish-to-brown wax coating. It is then refined and bleached before it’s used to give candy and fruit snacks their shiny appearance.

Carnauba wax is also used for the wax coating around hard cheeses. Soft cheese can benefit from both carnauba wax and paraffin wax because it is easily susceptible to growing mold. A wax coating will protect the cheese and keep it as fresh as possible. The wax coating is created by melting down carnauba wax and either dipping the hard cheese in or brushing it on the cheese. You can easily peel off the wax coating when you’re ready to eat the cheese.

3. Why wax?

Wax is used to coat produce and other foods to help them last longer. Wax is used instead of other techniques because it is edible and safe for human consumption, according to the U.S. Food and Drug regulations for food additives.

Edible food coatings have been used since the 1100s, when merchants in southern China used wax to preserve oranges. Today’s food waxes have advanced. They now allow the exchange of gases and help maintain freshness, flavor, texture, aroma and nutritional value.