why wax lemons?

pickarooney

Just wondering what the reason behind waxing the skin of lemons is - preservation, appearance, something else?
Is there any sure way, short of licking it, to tell if a lemon is not waxed and therefore suitable for zesting?

Alun

A bit of both, I think. It makes them nice and shiny, but also prevents them drying out and therefore last longer. You can get unwaxed lemons in some supermarkets here (Tesco's for example.) I'm sure they had them in the Netherlands when I lived there, but I can't remember what word they used to describe them, 'onbehandeld' springs to mind for some reason.

Geordie_Girl

I think it's mainly to make them look nicer, more shiny. It definitely doesn't make them last any longer. We bought some unwaxed, organic lemons from Marks & Spencer a while back and they lasted AGES compared some normal waxed lemons we bought around the same time.

As for where to buy them, the organic ones from M&S are really nice, very lemony (which sounds stupid but if you try them you'll understand; it was amazing to see just how un-lemony your average lemons were compared to these). Alternatively, any supermarket's organic range should be unwaxed.

(If you don't want organic and the lemons you go for aren't labelled as unwaxed, try scratching the surface with your nail, that should tell you whether they're waxed, and I'd guess it's probably slightly more pleasant than having to lick them )

BuffyBot

You can run a waxed one under some warm water and use a brush/scrub to make it suitable for zesting.

The Sweeper

Wax apparently prevents the fruit from drying out and thus gives it a longer shelf life, apparently. I find it a bit weird and will always try to go for unwaxed.

Hagar

Lemons are waxed to remove unwanted hair.
Try Brazillian lemons sometime, they just have a strip of hair down the middle.:D

kjt

Hagar wrote:

Lemons are waxed to remove unwanted hair.
Try Brazillian lemons sometime, they just have a strip of hair down the middle.:D

Haha, alot of funny ppl on boards this monring.

Humm I really wanna taste some lemon 2day after this thread.

Capt'n Midnight

pickarooney wrote:

Just wondering what the reason behind waxing the skin of lemons is - preservation, appearance, something else?
Is there any sure way, short of licking it, to tell if a lemon is not waxed and therefore suitable for zesting?

To tell if an apple is waxed dip it in boiling water for a few seconds and then wait for it to cool.

pickarooney

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

To tell if an apple is waxed dip it in boiling water for a few seconds and then wait for it to cool.

Bit tricky in the supermarket
I found an organic shop that sells them unwaxed, so all is well

Tazz T

anyone know if Lidl's bags of lemons waxed or au naturel?

tanntec

They coat lemons and oranges etc with wax to make them look pretty. i hate all that crap they put on the lemons, if you get it in your mouth its really bitter and it leaves an uncomfortable coating on your lips.

Its pathetic having to dress up a piece of fruit and make it shine, is that really what consumers need to make them buy?........ probably yes!
I like my fruit to look like real.

i like the Brazilian haired ones too haha

........ if it looks like shiny and fake then its been waxed

Mellor

Theres a range of bananas here that are waxed. Very heavily ( a few mm thick), over their tip, and its bright red. :O