![]() The applied layer is very thin, only about 3 mg of wax coat an apple. ![]() Producers therefore spray the fruit with a thin layer of wax to prevent such moisture loss as well as to make the apple look more appealing. Since the waxy layer prevents moisture in the apple from escaping, its loss shortens the storage time for the fruit. This of course does not mean that the amount of ursolic acid in the peel of an apple can have a beneficial effect on human health, but it is at least another plus for eating apples.Īfter apples are picked they are washed before they appear in the supermarket to remove dirt and chemical residues. Aromatase is an enzyme that leads to the synthesis of estradiol, the body’s main estrogen that is implicated in some cancers. For example, it can inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cells and also has weak aromatase inhibitor activity. Ursolic acid has a variety of biochemical effects that have been demonstrated in laboratory experiments. Natural wax also contains compounds in the triterpenoid family. In that case chemophobes kick and scream about a petroleum derivative being applied to their fruit but there is no difference between triacontane produced by an apple isolated from petroleum. This compound can also be isolated from petroleum and is sometimes applied to fruit to supplement its natural wax. There are also alcohols like heptacosanol and malol as well as hydrocarbons such as triacontane, C30H62. The wax is a mixture of up to fifty different compounds, most of which fall into the chemical category known as esters. Pick an apple off a tree, buff it a little and it will shine! That’s because the fruit is coated with a layer of natural wax that protects it from drying out and helps to prevent fungi from getting a foothold.
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