Lately, the market has seen the introduction of imported apples that are attractive, glossy and highly profitable. These apples are being marketed to entice customers and also compete with the apples from India’s Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir. Are apples that are imported always beneficial for one’s health? Professor Bhaskar Chakraborty recently obtained a small number of apples that were described as being bright, juicy, and fresh. Upon examining them in his laboratory, he discovered that they did not contain any ester functionalities, an important functional group in organic molecules.

“This indicates that the imported apples were treated with wax to maintain their freshness, which goes against FSSAI regulations. The consumption of these apples is therefore a cause for concern,” said Professor Chakraborty, Head of the Department of Chemistry, Nar Bahadur Bhandari Government College, Gangtok in Sikkim. “In recent times, if you visit the fruit markets in our country, you will come across imported ‘apples’ that are bright, shiny and attractive to customers, rather than our own apples from Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir that we used to see a few years ago. These imported apples are labeled with stickers from countries like the USA, Turkey, and New Zealand.

Although they are more expensive than our local apples, customers seem satisfied with their purchase as they are more visually appealing and appear to be of better quality,” Professor Chakraborty said, adding: “It is important for us to educate people about the reasons behind the allure of these imported apples.” Professor Chakraborty said: “Food producers use a food-grade wax to coat apples and other fruits to maintain their appearance and prolong their shelf life. This wax is typically made with carnauba wax. It’s important to maintain the moisture content of fruits, which is usually around 80-95 per cent.” “However, when fruits are washed for packaging, their natural wax coating wears off and needs to be replaced with artificial wax to prevent water loss.

While the wax on fruits is safe for consumption, it’s still necessary to wash them thoroughly to remove bacteria that may have accumulated on the surface. Therefore, it’s crucial to remove the wax before consuming by washing the fruit with warm soapy water and drying it completely with a soft cloth. This ensures that you’re not ingesting any potentially harmful chemicals present in the wax,” Professor Chakraborty added. “According to experts, the use of unauthorized wax can be extremely detrimental to our well-being. This can result in symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and stomach discomfort. Studies have also revealed that the inclusion of morpholine in wax coatings can lead to issues with liver or kidney function,” he said. According to Professor Chakraborty, the Government of India has enforced the Food Safety and Standard Regulations which solely permits the use of natural waxes like candelilla wax, beeswax, and carnauba wax on fruits and vegetables.

“It is important to understand the physical and chemical properties of these waxes in order to determine their composition. Unlike petroleum waxes which consist of various carbon alkanes, all natural waxes contain ester groups, Professor Chakraborty said, adding: “FT-IR Spectroscopy is a method used to analyse samples of different waxes through a spectrometer. Artificial waxes do not have ester groups like natural waxes do. This is why FSSAI only permits the use of natural waxes and considers products with FTIR tested wax coatings safe for consumption.”