Iconic actress Michelle Pfeiffer has apologized to billionaire Bill Gates after she accused him of planning to contaminate America’s food supply.
Pfeiffer took to Instagram to walk back comments that she made earlier this month, apologizing for expressing concerns over the FDA‘s approval of Apeel, a Gates-backed food coating meant to extend the shelf life of produce.
She said at the time: ‘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.’
‘Very concerning,’ she added.
In an Instagram story on Thursday, the actress admitted that ‘it turns out that I unintentionally reposted inaccurate and outdated information’ about the product.
She wrote that Apeel ‘has informed me that The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded two research grants to Apeel Sciences and Gates has no role or ownership in Apeel.’
The actress added that the product she trashed ‘was not JUST approved but was first allowed back in 2017’, and was told by the company it has not been in circulation for over two years as it prepares to roll out ‘new organic formulations to meet the evolving needs of the organic industry.’
‘Public conversations about food safety and sustainability matter deeply, but they’re only as helpful as they are accurate,’ Pfeiffer said.
Iconic actress Michelle Pfeiffer has apologized to billionaire Bill Gates after she accused him of planning to contaminate America’s food supply
Pfeiffer previously expressed concerns over the FDA’s approval of Apeel, a Gates-backed food coating meant to extend the shelf life of produce. Gates is pictured July 10, the day before Pfeiffer issued her public rebuke
The normally low-key actress, 67, surprised many with her attack on the Microsoft founder weeks ago, in which she claimed that ‘organic produce is no longer safe’ due to Gates’ efforts.
After posting her apology to Instagram, Apeel Sciences reshared her post on X, captioning the image: ‘Disinfo spreads fast. Facts matter more.’
‘Thank you Michelle Pfeiffer for setting the record straight: Gates has no ownership or role in Apeel; Organipeel was approved in 2017; Not used commercially in 2+ years,’ the company wrote.
‘We lead with transparency. Always have.’
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.
Pfeiffer’s previous post is pictured, where she claimed that ‘organic produce is no longer safe’ due to Gates’ efforts
Pfeiffer’s attack on Gates weeks ago marked an uncharacteristic break from her private life, with the actress known for avoiding the type of controversial declarations often made by many of her Hollywood peers.
Apeel responded at the time 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 a similar condemnation to Pfeiffer’s remarks as they have this week, saying: ‘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 US 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.
Apeel uses plant lipids or plant oils naturally found in fruits and vegetables and creates a coating applied ‘to retain moisture and reduce oxidation’
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.
