Latest news with #Apeel
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Michelle Pfeiffer claims Bill Gates-backed coating means 'organic produce is no longer safe'
Michelle Pfeiffer has attacked a Bill Gates-backed food coating and suggested he's going to contaminate America's food supply. On Thursday the actress, 67, expressed concern on social media over the FDA 's approval of Apeel, a Gates-backed food coating meant to extend the shelf life of produce. 'Apeel (an edible, plant-based coating designed to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables) was just approved and now "organic" produce is coated in something we cannot see or wash off,' Pfeiffer wrote. 'Ver concerning.' She shared a video that claimed 'organic produce is no longer safe' after 'Bill Gates' Apeel just approved for USDA-certified organic.' Apeel has long been mired in controversy over its ingredients and association with Gates. The company was founded in 2012 by entrepreneur James Rogers with the help of a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Gates' are not currently involved in Apeel, which has received substantial backing from venture capitalist Andreessen Horowitz. Post: Despite Pfeiffer's comments, Apeel claims on its website that their coatings can be washed Apeel responded by saying it was 'both disappointing and concerning to see a public figure like Michelle Pfeiffer use her platform to spread disinformation about our company, our mission, and the work of our employees.' They added: 'To set the record straight: Bill Gates is not now, nor has he ever been, a shareholder in Apeel Sciences. 'Additionally, our products have been reviewed and allowed on the market in compliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. National Organic Program requirements for nearly eight years - not recently, as Ms. Pfeiffer's post suggests,' Jenny Du, co-founder of Apeel and senior vice president of operations, said in a statement. Also, the company claimed that their coatings can be washed by rinsing the produce with water and scrubbing it. 'Apeel uses plant lipids or plant oils naturally found in fruits and vegetables and creates a coating applied to the surface of fresh fruits and vegetables in order to retain moisture and reduce oxidation,' Du told the Associated Press. 'Our product is also intended to be edible.' The coating consists of purified monoglycerides and diglycerides, which Du pointed out are also found in products such as infant formula. The company has said their coating technology can help reduce post-harvest food waste in developing countries and is ultimately aimed at combatting famine and hunger.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Michelle Pfeiffer slams ‘very concerning' FDA-approved food technology once backed by Bill Gates
Pfeiffer is piping up. Michelle Pfeiffer took to Instagram on Thursday to slam Apeel – an FDA-approved food technology once funded by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates. After sharing a post that claimed 'organic produce is no longer safe' because 'Bill Gates' Apeel just got approved for USDA-certified organic,' the actress said that she was 'very concerned' about the approval. 10 A screenshot of Michelle Pfeiffer's Instagram Story post on Thursday, July 10. michellepfeifferofficial/Instagram 10 A screenshot of Michelle Pfeiffer's second Instagram Story post on Thursday, July 10. michellepfeifferofficial/Instagram 'Apeel (an edible, plant-based coating designed to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables) was just approved and now 'organic' produce is coated in something we cannot see or wash off,' Pfeiffer, 67, wrote on her Instagram Stories. 'Very concerning.' The 'Batman Returns' icon returned to the social media platform to share a list of grocery stores and markets that will not sell products coated in Apeel. The list included major stores like Costco, Publix and Trader Joe's. Apeel Sciences was founded in 2012 by CEO James Rogers. He received two grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which totaled less than $1.1 million. Since then, Apeel has reportedly been backed by venture capitalist Andreessen Horowitz. 10 Michelle Pfeiffer attends a ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre on April 25, 2025, in Hollywood, California. FilmMagic 10 Bill Gates attends the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 Annual Meeting at New York Hilton Midtown on September 24, 2024, in New York City. Getty Images In April 2024, the brand even wrote on their official Instagram account that the entrepreneur had 'zero involvement or ownership in Apeel.' 'We're a team who value honesty and transparency, dedicated to enhancing food accessibility and sustainability,' the statement concluded. Meanwhile, Apeel's website claims that the company's mission 'has always been to eradicate food insecurity for the most vulnerable people.' 10 A screenshot from Apeel's website promising 'honesty and transparency.' apeel_sciences/Instagram 'Apeel Sciences was founded on the promise of developing safe, sustainable solutions that extend the quality and life of fresh produce, making it more accessible and enjoyable to consumers while reducing food waste around the world,' the website reads. 'Apeel helps reduce waste with a natural alternative to plastic packaging,' it continues, 'promoting better food systems and a healthier planet.' Despite Pfeiffer's concern that the coating cannot be 'washed off,' the company claims that 'you can remove Apeel coatings by rinsing your fruits or veggies with water and gently scrubbing them using your hands or a soft brush.' 10 Michelle Pfeiffer at a screening during the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival on April 25, 2025, in Hollywood, California. Getty Images for TCM 10 Michelle Pfeiffer onstage during the Paramount+ UK launch at Outernet London on June 20, 2022, in London, England. Getty Images for Paramount+ 10 Bill Gates leaving the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia in Venice, Italy, on June 27, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 'Our product is also intended to be edible,' Apeel Co-Founder Jenny Du also told the Associated Press in April 2023. The Post has reached out to Pfeiffer's reps for comment. We're Tracking Prime Day Live! Unlock exclusive NYP codes and real-time deals on everyday must-haves. See Your Deals The 'Tequila Sunrise' star's Instagram posts about Apeel may come as a surprise, particularly because she largely lives a quiet life without much controversy. Pfeiffer made headlines last year when she announced that she would star in an AppleTV+ series, 'Margo's Got Money Troubles,' alongside Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman. '2025 is already off to a great start!' she wrote on Instagram in September. 'Excited to be in such fabulous company on this one.' 10 Michelle Pfeiffer at the TCL Chinese Theatre in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on April 25, 2025. Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock 10 Michelle Pfeiffer at the 2023 Fragrance Foundation Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 15, 2023, in New York City. WWD via Getty Images The AppleTV+ series was created for the streaming giant by Pfeiffer's husband of more than 30 years, David E. Kelley. The couple met during a blind date in 1993 and married later that year. The 'Scarface' star previously claimed that she would never work with her husband, although that rule has apparently changed when it comes to 'Margo's Got Money Troubles.' 'I've seen a lot of couples where they seem to have a really great marriage, and then they work together and next year they're filing for divorce,' she told The New Yorker in 2021.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Michelle Pfeiffer launches extraordinary attack on Bill Gates and suggests he'll contaminate America's food supply
Iconic actress Michelle Pfeiffer has launched a shocking attack on billionaire Bill Gates and suggested he's going to contaminate America's food supply. In an extraordinarily rare move for the low-key Oscar winner, Pfeiffer took to Instagram on Thursday to express concern over the FDA 's approval of Apeel, a Gates-backed food coating meant to extend the shelf life of produce. 'Apeel (an edible, plant-based coating designed to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables) was just approved and now "organic" produce is coated in something we cannot see or wash off,' Pfeiffer wrote. 'Very concerning.' The Scarface star, 67, wrote the message as she shared a video that claimed 'organic produce is no longer safe' after 'Bill Gates' Apeel just approved for USDA-certified organic.' Apeel has long been mired in controversy over its ingredients and associated with Gates. The company received early developmental support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2012 and again in 2015. However, the Gates' currently have no involvement in Apeel. Pfeiffer's comments might come as a shock to her fans, as the Batman Returns icon is famed for living a quiet life and avoiding the type of controversial declarations often made by many of her Hollywood peers. Despite Pfeiffer's comments, Apeel claims on its website that their coatings can be washed by rinsing the produce with water and scrubbing it. Apeel uses plant lipids or plant oils naturally found in fruits and vegetables and creates a coating applied 'to the surface of fresh fruits and vegetables in order to retain moisture and reduce oxidation,' Jenny Du, co-founder of Apeel and senior vice president of operations told the Associated press 'Our product is also intended to be edible.'' The coating consists of purified monoglycerides and diglycerides, which Du pointed out are also found in products such as infant formula. The company has said their coating technology can help reduce post-harvest food waste in developing countries and is ultimately aimed at combatting famine and hunger. Gates has found himself mired in multiple controversies in recent years. An outlandish conspiracy theory that circulated at the height of the COVID pandemic claimed he had secreted 5G microchips inside COVID vaccines. There's no evidence to support such claims and The Gates Foundation dismissed them as nonsense. More damagingly, Gates has faced prolonged heat over his friendship with the late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Melinda cited that closeness as part of the reason she divorced her husband. Bill has said he deeply regrets making friends with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019, and there has never been any suggestion of wrongdoing on his part. Pfeiffer's warning about Apeel comes as she has been promoting a new project with Elle Fanning. The two play a mother-daughter duo on the forthcoming AppleTV+ series Margo's Got Money Troubles. The actress has been married to writer and producer David E. Kelley, 69, for 31 years and they're working together on the project. The show is based on Rufi Thorpe's novel of the same name. Kelley created the eight-part show with A24. Pfeiffer, Fanning and Nicole Kidman (who also has an acting role in the show) are executive producing. Fanning portrays Margo Millet, the daughter of a Hooters waitress, played Pfeiffer, and a former professional wrestler, played by Nick Offerman.
