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waxed citrus fruit

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waxed citrus fruit

Postby herbidacious » Fri Oct 23, 2020 5:48 pm

I can't find unwaxed limes anywhere. Had a go at scrubbing waxed ones in warm water, but they still feel tacky. I need the zest for a recipe. Would you a) use them anyway b) omit them from the recipe c) just not make the recipe?!

It's the oven chips with cardamom mayonnaise recipe:

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/s ... ottolenghi

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Suelle » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:00 pm

I'd just use the waxed ones, but I'm very cavalier about some aspects of food safety - we were using citrus zest with wax for years before people decided unwaxed would be better.
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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Suffs » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:02 pm

I scrub under hot water and find that works ... Nigella agrees with me.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby herbidacious » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:04 pm

That's what I did, Suffs. But still feel tacky, as I said. I was scrubbing for quite a few minutes in really very hot water.

I think I will not worry about it too much and just get on with it!

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Suelle » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:06 pm

Doesn't scrubbing damage the surface, so you lose some of the oils you need for flavour?
Last edited by Suelle on Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby herbidacious » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:09 pm

:shock:

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby KeenCook2 » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:26 pm

I think I once read that scrubbing with washing-up liquid and warm water shifted it. But you then have to make sure you rinse it well.

I would just use it anyway.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Badger's Mate » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:30 pm

Herbi, there probably isn't a perfect solution to this, but I'd have done the same as you. Tried to buy unwaxed, but if I couldn't find any, scrub the others in hot water. It's always worked out. :thumbsup

There's a new 'organic' shop opened in Hertford. I notice they had some kumquats. Reminds me of the trouble I had trying to find some for a Vietnamese duck recipe. Eventually I got some, cooked the recipe. Mrs B liked the duck, commented positively on the sauce (made with liquidised roasted clementines iirc), but said that it would be better without the kumquats.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby mark111757 » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:37 pm

Can't find unwaxed fruit for.nothing here in the states.

From you tube...caught my eye

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fL6j_HwGNR0

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Earthmaiden » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:48 pm

Suelle wrote:I'd just use the waxed ones, but I'm very cavalier about some aspects of food safety - we were using citrus zest with wax for years before people decided unwaxed would be better.


Just what I was thinking, Suelle. I do try to buy unwaxed nowadays but at one time I don't think I even knew it was waxed :oops:.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby karadekoolaid » Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:01 pm

Just a daft question:
Why do lemons need to be waxed in the first place?
I´ve had some in the fruit bowl for the last 3 weeks and they´re still ok.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby herbidacious » Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:08 pm

They probably take three weeks to get here...?! :? Possibly yours are a bit fresher when you buy them... pick them?! :)

Last year my mother said some tomatoes I took her - ripe, but firm - lasted much longer than ones she normally bought. You do wonder how long they keep things before they are sold.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby miss mouse » Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:01 pm

Suelle wrote:I'd just use the waxed ones, but I'm very cavalier about some aspects of food safety - we were using citrus zest with wax for years before people decided unwaxed would be better.


Same here. I think there were some health Qs about the coating the unwaxed ones got. No idea if this is valid. How much peel do you plan to eat this week?

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Suffs » Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:08 pm

I read somewhere that citrus have a natural waxy surface ... but when they’re prepared for export this is lost in a washing process and had to be replaced.
Last edited by Suffs on Fri Oct 23, 2020 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:14 pm

The wax coating permitted in the U.K. and EU is generally considered to be pretty harmless, there are questions about one permitted in the US (does this sound familiar?)

I use Ecover unscented washing up liquid, so I use a single drop of that and warm water to remove the wax if I remember - I wouldn’t use a scented one

Citrus wax, which is intended to keep the skin from drying out and keep it looking healthy with a nice sheen is not something I’d worry about - there’s so little in a grated citrus zest and it’s not toxic, so…

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Pepper Pig » Sat Oct 24, 2020 9:41 am

The one and only time I made a Sussex Pond Pudding it tasted of absolutely nothing lemony at all. This was way back in the early eighties, even though I followed the recipe to the letter - probably Delia. I've often thought since it must be that the lemon was waxed but it might have been something else.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Suffs » Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:07 am

A poster on GW forum is enjoying experimenting with his dehydrator ... he's excited by the results of dehydrating lemon rind etc ... take a look on page 7 here
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discus ... les#latest

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Hope » Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:27 am

are organic ones waxed? I seem to recall finding it easier to find unwaxed organic.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Badger's Mate » Sat Oct 24, 2020 11:54 am

I don't generally seek out organic fruit but if I'm zesting citrus or using them whole, for example boiled and liquidised in a cake, I'll try to get organic if I can.

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Re: waxed citrus fruit

Postby Earthmaiden » Sat Oct 24, 2020 12:00 pm

Interesting about the dried lemon rind. I immediately thought of candied peel or those chocolate dipped orange peel things that Duchy Originals used to do (and still may for all I know!). Sound great for flavouring as described though.
How do you make candied peel?

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