Harvesting peppers should be done when they are firm and dark green. Peppers can also be left on the plant to mature to a red color. Some varieties will turn red, orange, purple, or yellow when mature. Harvesting green peppers from the plant will increase yields. Harvest peppers when plants are dry to decrease the possibility of plant diseases or fruit rots. Peppers can be washed and refrigerated after harvest.
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Waxes are used only in tiny amounts to provide a microscopic coating surrounding the entire product. Each piece of waxed produce has only a drop or two of wax.
Coatings used on fruits and vegetables must meet FDA food additive regulations for safety. Produce shippers and supermarkets in the United States are required by federal law to label fresh fruits and vegetables that have been waxed so you will know whether the produce you buy is coated. Watch for signs that say: “Coated with food-grade vegetable-, petroleum-, beeswax-, or shellac- based wax or resin, to maintain freshness.”
Many vegetables and fruits make their own natural waxy coating. After harvest, fresh produce may be washed to clean off dirt and soil – but such washing also removes the natural wax. Therefore, waxes are applied to some produce to replace the natural waxes that are lost. Wax coatings help retain moisture to maintain quality from farm to table.
Some fruits and vegetables – like bananas – naturally produce ethylene gas when they ripen. Oftentimes, such fruits and vegetables are harvested in the unripened state to preserve firmness and for long shelf life; they are later exposed to ethylene gas to induce ripening.
Most of the juices sold in the United States are processed (for example, “pasteurized”) to kill harmful bacteria. But when fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed and left untreated, harmful bacteria from the inside or the outside of the produce can become a part of the finished product.
Some grocery stores, health food stores, cider mills, and farm markets sell packages and containers of juice that was made on site and has not been pasteurized or otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria.
These untreated products should be kept in the refrigerated section of the store or on ice, and must have the following warning on the label regarding people who are at risk for foodborne illness:
WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and therefore may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.
Juices that are fresh squeezed and sold by the glass – such as at farm markets, at roadside stands, or in some restaurants or juice bars – may not be pasteurized or otherwise treated to ensure safety. Warning labels are not required for these products.
If you or someone in your family is at risk for foodborne illness, and you cannot determine if a juice has been processed to destroy harmful bacteria, either don’t drink it or bring it to a boil to kill any harmful bacteria that may be present.
