ISO veggie wax or coating

[buckytom]

i've been taking in a load of peppers and cukes these past few weeks from my garden, and they've been going bad or geting soft and wrinkly before i could use them or preserve them in some way (pickling, freezing).

i've noticed many veggies bought from the supermarket are coated with something that helps to slow them from drying out and getting wrinkly; some kind of a thin, waxy substance.

does anyone know what that stuff is, and where i can get it/how to apply it?

tia for your help.

[blissful]

BT I want to know too, I'm in the same boat. (I want some cucs on hand for rolled sushi in the winter.)

I have a block of wax.........wondering if I can melt some, dip into it with paper towel and coat the cucumbers. Then keep them in the veggie drawer of the fridge? As long as I peel them, what can it hurt?

Who would be a good person to ask? A produce manager maybe?

[buckytom]

bump.

anyone? anyone?

buehler?

[Alix]

There is paraffin in most canning sections. Couldn't you just buy some of that and dip your stuff in it? You'd have to make sure its really dry first, but if its good enough to use on jam etc it should be fine for veggies.

I buy the parowax brand that is in little pellets. It melts better than the big chunk.

[buckytom]

that might work if i could get it really thin. thin enough to atomize. i don't want a thick layer of wax on the veggies.

thanks alix.

[Alix]

I don't know if you could thin the wax. I'm thinking a dip into the hot wax and then let it drip off would leave a pretty thin coat. If you wanted thicker you would have to either dunk a cold veggie or keep redipping.

And if you get it on there, then you can check here later to remove it!

[lenah]

wouldn't a cold veggie 'sweat' inside the wax, you know, hot outside, cold inside? i wonder if you could use one of those physical therapy paraffin baths with a controllable thermostat and a room temp veggie.

[lyndalou]

Go in for a pedicure and ask if you can dip some of your veggies in their foot bath? Just kidding.

[Greg Who Cooks]

I found a lot of interesting and possibly related stuff by googling "food grade wax" but nothing exactly intended as a consumer product. Many of these products are used to seal butcher blocks or probably in food canning... One link from China is the right product although good luck getting it from there to here, and might require special equipment to apply. This FDA link is interesting particularly near the bottom, explaining why wax is used on produce. I suggest you spend some time following the various links from that google search.

[gadzooks]

Material Safety Data Sheet for Carnauba Wax Flakes

Liberty Natural Products - The Essential Oil Source

Carnuba and bee's wax are both available in food grade. Both can be used for sealing the skin of fruit and vegetables, and making them look "grocery store" shiny. Helps preserve by keeping moisture in. You might melt your wax in a saucepan and dip a cloth in then wipe your veggies.