Consumers should avoid buying fruits and vegetables that have stickers unless they are from a reliable source.
Photo Credit: istockphoto
Indian food regulator FSSAI warns that stickers on fruits and vegetables may leave toxic adhesive residues, especially on wax-coated produce. Washing alone doesn’t remove them, and long-term exposure could harm health. Experts advise peeling stickered fruits and scrubbing vegetables to reduce risk. A small precaution today can prevent chronic chemical buildup tomorrow.
When you reach for that apple from the produce shelf or pick a cucumber from your local vegetable stall, glance at it closely. You'll likely find a small, adhesive-backed sticker stuck right on the skin, either with a barcode or a brand name, that you just pull off without a second thought. Most of us proceed to rinse it thoroughly and eat it right up. Simple enough?
Apparently, not so.
According to India's food safety regulator, The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India or FSSAI, these stickers, and specifically the glue that holds them in place, are not safe to eat.
Rinsing the fruit isn't enough as the residue lingers. And over time, what's unseen could gradually accumulate to cause you more serious health issues.
FSSAI urged consumers to 'think twice before biting the fruit sticker'. The regulator explained that the food-grade adhesive used for attaching these stickers leaves a residual film, which is not intended for consumption. Simple tap water washing does not remove it fully, especially on produce also treated with wax, as is often the case with apples, pears, mangoes and imported citrus.
FSSAI's advisory guidance for the safe consumption of fruits and vegetables even states that stickers should ideally not be applied directly on the produce at all, or if they are used, the adhesive must be certified non-toxic. In the highly unorganized Indian fruit and vegetable market, such certification for produce stickers is extremely rare.1
To be sure, the regulator recommended that consumers peel fruits and vegetables bearing stickers, especially those covered in wax (common for apples, pears, mangoes, cucumbers etc.). This is the most efficient method to get rid of not only any chemical residues from the glue but also any chemical residues left under the sticker.
One lesser-known fact about these stickers is that the glue is actually not considered an ingredient but rather a food contact substance. The distinction? Although it can come in contact with your food, it isn't intended for ingestion.
Adhesives can contain multiple chemical compounds. And this isn't merely theoretical. In a major peer-reviewed study released in September 2024 and published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, researchers found 3,601 chemicals from food-contact materials , including glues in stickers, packaging, and processing equipment, present in human urine, blood, and breast milk. Seventy-nine of those chemicals are proven to cause cancer, genetic mutation, or disrupt hormonal balance.2
According to the lead author of the study, food contact materials can directly transfer harmful chemicals to humans – even when they adhere to current regulations. Produce stickers clearly fall under this category.
Stickers are seldom the sole problem; most fruits bearing these stickers are also treated with a wax coating, used to prolong shelf life, especially during transit. FSSAI permits the use of beeswax, carnauba wax, or shellac wax, but often illegal synthetic waxes are found on produce.
A sticker on a waxed surface causes the adhesive's chemicals to be trapped under the seal. Washing the fruit in any ordinary way won't affect these. Waxing effectively traps the contamination right against the skin. You then eat both as you eat the fruit with the skin, as you normally would.
Young children, older adults and the immunocompromised are most at risk. The potential symptoms are Mild nausea, upset stomach or abdomen. Multiple exposure of non-food grade adhesive can potentially cause the above symptoms. For children, stickers may pose a chocking hazard to be eaten.
The risk however is not acute, but chronic. A single sticker on a single apple won't kill you, but consuming fruits and vegetables with stickers daily without peeling them for years is another matter. Chemical contact materials continuously build up over time, hence why scientists and regulators are now looking into this issue more closely.
The steps recommended by FSSAI are easy to follow. Peel fruits and vegetables with stickers, be it an apple, pear, mango, cucumber or bell pepper or cut the part where sticker was.
If you eat the fruit or vegetables unpeeled, for instance if you eat cucumber, the first thing that should happen is that you scrub the peel under running water using a vegetable brush.
If you buy loose fruit/vegetables at local markets attempt to choose fruit/vegetables without a sticker on. If buying at the supermarket look and see whether the sticker is directly on the fruit skin, or on a sheet of paper which has been stuck on.
Seems a small act but when you think of three pieces of fruit or veg per day, a change made at the source will create a large difference.
Are the stickers on fruits and vegetables safe to eat?
According to FSSAI, the adhesives on fruit and vegetable stickers are not safe for consumption as they leave chemical residues that remain even after washing. These residues can accumulate over time and may cause health issues, especially when the produce is also coated in wax.
How does wax coating affect the safety of fruit stickers?
Wax coatings used on fruits like apples and mangoes trap the adhesive chemicals from stickers against the skin, making it harder to remove the residues by washing. This increases the risk of consuming harmful substances since wax seals the glue's chemical residues in place.
What practices does FSSAI recommend to avoid risks from sticker adhesives?
FSSAI advises peeling fruits and vegetables bearing stickers, especially those with wax coating, to remove glue residue. For unpeeled produce like cucumbers, scrubbing the skin with a vegetable brush under running water is recommended. Choosing produce without stickers or those with stickers on packaging rather than directly on fruit is also encouraged.
What are the potential health effects of ingesting sticker adhesive residues over time?
Chronic exposure to chemicals in sticker adhesives may lead to mild symptoms like nausea and upset stomach and can pose long-term risks such as hormonal disruption or cancer, as shown by studies detecting harmful chemicals in the human body. Children and immunocompromised individuals are particularly vulnerable.
How can consumers identify safer produce stickers in the market?
Certified non-toxic adhesives should ideally be used for produce stickers, but they are rare in India’s unorganized markets. Consumers should look for stickers not applied directly on fruits or vegetables but on labels or packaging. Preference for loose, sticker-free produce from local markets can also reduce exposure.
References:
1. FSSAI |Guidelines on Stickers on Fruits and Vegetables
2. nature.com |Evidence for widespread human exposure to food contact chemicals
Disclaimer: This content is for general informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any questions about your health or treatment options.
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