I came across this un-publicised fact on a facebook post by chance. It seems that shops are labeling citrus fruits oranges, lemons and limes to warn that the peel is not fit for consumption because it has been treated with various fungicides. How many people check the label of oranges or lemons?! It’s getting very annoying that you now have to really search for the information on this type of change. Apparently it’s been around since last year. There are hardly any news articles yet the labels in supermarkets such as Lidl according to photos speak for themselves!
“Do check the labels on your easy peelers to see what they have been treated with,” she warned in a video, brandishing a packet of South African-grown mandarins purchased from a supermarket. "Don’t grate the zest into your food and certainly don’t cook the whole fruit as you might be surprised by what they’ve been treated with.
That’s something that wouldn’t have occurred to me!
If I’m using the zest I’d certainly go for the unwaxed, preferably organic. I’ll check some labels next time I’m in a supermarket or convenience shop, assuming that the required information is actually available.
Even better advice is to treat all posts pushed to you (be certain that the platform determines what you get to see) with extreme scepticism. There are financial benefits for posting stuff that will get lots of likes and re-posts. Scare stories are always re-posted more than any other type. The wider so called wellness industry and its online chat / advice / guidance / recommendations is a bigger industry than pharma. This bit of advice is both a scare story and linked to the wellness ecosystem. So the chances are it is utter bollox.
No doubt they and other retailers will feel the need to protect themselves.
But are we really thinking that this risk now exists but it did not before? Have the lemon growers of the world switched to new fungicides last year? Or perhaps nutritionist Jenny feels the need for self-publicity.
I had a look at labels when in waitrose this lunchtime and they are all treated including the unwaxed fruits. The limes in waitrose just said wash before use so perhaps they are untreated but its all in very small writing!
Quite possibly, we are fortunate in that we have three very large supermarkets close by , it’s simply a matter of choice, choosing organic when appropriate . I’ll stick with the bog standard ones for juicing etc.
I don’t want to get stressed over it, there’s too much of that in life as it is at times!
