Britain’s biggest supermarket is looking for alternatives to the wax applied to some of its fruit after harvest, as it contains shellac, a resin secreted by the female lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. Tesco has confirmed that its oranges are labeled as non-vegan because of the post-harvest wax. It means that consumers following a vegan diet cannot use orange peel zest in their cooking. Some other citrus fruits such as lemons and limes are also affected. Those looking for a strictly plant-based diet should buy organic citrus fruits to avoid wax. Beeswax is a common remedy for citrus fruits as it helps keep the fruit fresher for longer. However, the growing popularity of plant-based diets means the supermarket is now working with growers to develop an alternative wax that avoids shellac.
“Tesco has let its standards slip”
Although Tesco is changing its products, customers have criticized the supermarket for being slow to act. A user named Amy wrote: “Not something I’ve ever thought about. I assumed fruit was always vegan.” Charmaine added: “Most (supermarkets) have taken action. It’s clear that Tesco have let their standards slip.” Restaurants also had to warn vegan customers when listing citrus fruits on their menus. Jack Monroe, the author and anti-food poverty campaigner, questioned last December why a Pizza Express menu said a glass of Coca Cola would only be vegan if “served without lemon”. Ms Monroe tweeted: “Um, what does Pizza Express do to their lemons to make them not suitable for vegans? Just noticed and can’t for the life of me figure it out.” Pizza Express said: “The wax in waxed lemons contains shellac, which is derived from insects and is therefore not strictly vegan.”
