John Myers
Citrus fruits like lemons are generally cleaned and washed after picking. This removes the fruit’s own waxy protective layer so that fungi and bacteria can easily get through the peel. For this reason, the peel of conventional citrus fruits is often treated after harvesting, especially when the weather is bad in the countries of origin. If the fruit is treated with wax or preservatives, this must be declared. You can read about this on the packaging (“preserved with…” or “waxed”). If you wash lemons or other citrus fruits with hot water and dry them with kitchen paper, their peel can be used without hesitation, for example as a grater to refine dishes.
With our lemons, you can be sure that the peel has not been treated with preservatives. When growing organic citrus fruits, the use of synthetic chemical pesticides is prohibited, as is the use of post-harvest preservatives. Here you can safely use the peel for baking and cooking or use it to make lemon oil. However, there is no harm in washing untreated lemons before further processing. On the one hand, there may be dirt from the environment on the peel, on the other hand, the lemon may have passed through many hands on its way to your grocery bag. In addition, lemons form a natural layer of wax that you can easily remove with hot water and kitchen paper, just like with untreated lemons.
