Apeel, a maker of produce life-extension know-how, introduced this week that it’s suing an internet influencer who had unfold misinformation in regards to the firm’s product for the final two years.
The corporate, which earned early recognition within the meals waste innovation house for its non-toxic, plant-based coating that helps prolong the shelf lifetime of greens akin to avocados, has confronted a rising wave of misinformation in recent times. Conspiracy-peddling on-line influencers have claimed the corporate’s product comprises all the pieces from gasoline-like chemical substances to heavy metals.
Due to this, the corporate has gone to battle in opposition to one influencer specifically: Robyn Openshaw, who goes by the title “Inexperienced Smoothie Lady” on Instagram and different platforms. Apeel filed go well with on August 29, 2025, within the U.S. District Court docket for the Center District of Florida, accusing Openshaw of publishing at the least 60 posts between July 2023 and Could 2025 throughout Instagram, YouTube, X, Rumble, and her personal web site. The posts alleged that Apeel’s coatings contained palladium, mercury, arsenic, and different heavy metals.
In response to Apeel, Openshaw advised her followers to boycott Apeel produce, urged retailers like Costco and suppliers akin to Driscoll’s to keep away from the product, and even offered a downloadable “pockets card” itemizing shops not utilizing Apeel.
Openshaw was not the one voice on social media making such claims. Alongside numerous smaller accounts, actress Michelle Pfeiffer additionally posted in regards to the know-how and incorrectly claimed it was owned by Invoice Gates. After what seemed to be authorized and PR interventions, Pfeiffer later posted a correction:
“Ugh! For any of you who reposted or shared my story about Apeel it seems that I unintentionally reposted inaccurate and outdated data, and I’m very sorry for that,” wrote Pfeiffer through an Instagram story. “@apeel_sciences has knowledgeable me that The Invoice & Melinda Gates Basis awarded two analysis grants to Apeel Sciences and Gates has no function with or possession in Apeel. And relating to their natural product, Organipeel, Apeel advised me it was not JUST permitted however was first allowed again in 2017, although it has not been provided commercially in any marketplace for over two years as a result of they’ve been working (by correct protocol) on new natural formulations to satisfy the evolving wants of the natural business. … Public conversations about meals security and sustainability matter deeply, however they’re solely as useful as they’re correct. Thanks! Xx m”
And it’s not simply on-line influencers and ’90s-heyday actresses which have focused Apeel:
Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman’s preliminary concern was the involvement of the right-wing boogeyman and former Microsoft CEO Invoice Gates.
“I believe that the pink flags went up for me once I noticed that the Invoice and Melinda Gates Basis was behind the event of this product,” mentioned Stutzman in a Fb submit.
The Gates Basis awarded about $1.1 million in analysis grants to Apeel in 2012 and 2015 as a part of its broad philanthropic efforts. In these two years alone, the muse gave away over $7 billion throughout a variety of organizations and tasks.
Stutzman went on to say Apeel was not being clear about its ingredient record and launched HR 4737, also called the Apeel Reveal Act. The invoice seeks to amend the Federal Meals, Drug, and Beauty Act to require disclosure of sure product coatings used on vegatables and fruits.
Regardless of being fairly open about what’s in its coating, the corporate has spent thousands and thousands on advertising and marketing and PR to fight confusion associated to on-line misinformation, a lot of which dates again to 2023 when Openshaw and different influencers circulated the ingredient record of a wholly completely different product: an industrial cleaner from UK firm Evans Vanodine that shares the title “Apeel.”
In case you’re questioning whether or not the wave of misinformed influencers and posturing politicians has affected Apeel’s enterprise, the reply is sure. Regional retailers akin to PCC have issued statements on their web sites noting they imagine Apeel is usually protected, however they’ve nonetheless instructed their distributors to not supply produce that makes use of Apeel. Others, like Sprouts and Publix, have additionally mentioned they won’t buy Apeel-coated produce.
Whereas many of those retailers in all probability agree with Apeel that their product isn’t dangerous to people, you’ll be able to’t blame them. Making an attempt to coach customers in an period the place social media is the first channel for a lot of shoppers with regards to meals and diet data is a dropping battle. In the present day’s social channels are rife with plenty of dangerous data from self-proclaimed consultants, and grocers in all probability determine that is one much less battle they should struggle.
As for Apeel, the lawsuit could reveal whether or not authorized motion may also help stem the tide of misinformation. In an period the place even our personal governmetn traffics in misinformation, the corporate has an uphill battle forward.
