Did you know citrus fruit isn't vegan?!

One titbit of information that's caught peoples attention from last weeks NOURYSH newsletter is how the waxing process of citrus fruits effectively makes the the rind non-vegan. It's industry-standard to apply shellac (E904), a resin from the secretions of the lac insect, to many fruits and vegetables (from citrus fruits to cucumbers) at it prevents decay and keeps them shiny.

Now, we aren't intending to be alarmist here as shellac is non-toxic and derived from a natural ingredient (although certainly may be an issue if it compromises your dietary or moral choices), and we're also not suggesting you go back and live in a cave.

We believe that the surprise (and in some cases outrage) of this information is indicative of a wider push-back around the understanding of what processing in the food industry means, and the compromises we are all making everyday to benefit from the convenience of produce that we enjoy today.

Innovation and technological development has advanced at an incredible rate this last century, much of which should be celebrated. What we want to tackle is where poor quality ingredients and sub-standard regulation has allowed harmful elements into our diets as we trust marketing health messages and slowly forget the traditional kitchen skills that are still essential to a healthy lifestyle.

We're working to shine a light to make navigating the grocery shop easier.