Michelle Pfeiffer, known for her private lifestyle and renowned acting career, shocked her followers with a rare and controversial comment. In an uncharacteristic move, the actress claimed Bill Gates could play a role in contaminating the American food supply.
This came as a surprise to many on social media as Pfeiffer is usually reserved, keeping a low profile in the public eye. She, however, later apologised to Bill Gates and Apeel for spreading โinaccurate and outdated informationโ. Her apology comes after Apeel Sciences reached out to her to clarify the facts.
In an Instagram story, Pfeiffer expressed anxiety over a product called Apeel. Apeel is an organic food-coating technology aimed to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Pfeiffer stated in her story, โApeel (an edible, plant-based coating designed to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables) was just approved and now โorganicโ produce is coated in something we cannot see or wash off. Very concerningโ.ย
Pfeiffer also accused Bill Gates, Microsoftโs co-founder, of conjuring up a plan to contaminate Americaโs food supply. More people caught wind of the story due to Gatesโ well-known activity in philanthropy and investments in sustainable agriculture. Pfeiffer initially claimed Gates was responsible for new threats to food safety, suggesting he had direct control or ownership of Apeel. However, industry records confirm a more distant link: โThe Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded two research grants to Apeel Sciences and Gates has no role or ownership in Apeelโ ,Pfeiffer said in her apology post.
Apeel is a technology developed to extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. The food coating uses plant lipids to help retain moisture and reduce oxidation, preventing food and produce from spoiling quickly. According to Jenny Du, co-founder of Apeel, โApeel uses plant lipids or plant oils naturally found in fruits and vegetables and creates a coating applied to the surfaceโฆ to retain moisture and reduce oxidation. Our product is also intended to be edibleโ. The technologyโs ingredients, purified monoglycerides and diglycerides, are common in everyday food products, such as infant formula. The company sees Apeel as part of a solution to food waste, especially in markets where refrigeration is less available.
Pfeifferโs initial post attacking Gates included a claim that Apeel had โjust been approved,โ sparking confusion about the productโs regulatory status. In reality, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first allowed Apeel on the American market in 2017, not recently, as Pfeifferโs post had implied. Moreover, the product had not been used on organic produce for over 2 years at the time of her comments, pending the development of new organic formulations.
Within days of her Instagram story, Pfeiffer went back on Instagram to post a public apology to Gates and Apeel and set the record straight. She admitted to posting incorrect and outdated information about the product and its ties to Bill Gates. Apeel told Pfeiffer that the Gates connection was incorrect and her approval claims were outdated. She then issued her apology. โPublic conversations about food safety and sustainability matter deeply, but theyโre only as helpful as they are accurate,โ she added.
Apeel Sciences responded to the incident by emphasizing transparency and correcting the record on social media. They applauded Pfeifferโs apology after Apeel contacted Pfeiffer to clear the record.ย The company reposted Pfeifferโs apology, captioning their message, โDisinfo spreads fast. Facts matter moreโ.
Jenny Du, co-founder of Apeel, made a few clarifications about the companyโs associations and misinformation about their product. She stressed that Bill Gates never owned shares in Apeel Sciences. Du pointed out that the FDA and USDA organic programs approved their products roughly 8 years ago, and not recently. The company clarified that their coatings remain safe, edible, and washable through scrubbing. Apeel reiterated its commitment to transparency in all operations.
Apeel Sciences have denied that Bill Gates has any involvement in their company. However, controversy surrounds Apeelโs ingredients and past links to Gates.ย Academic research suggests that consumer skepticism toward food technology can be aggravated by the spread of misinformation, especially by trusted public figures. Pew Research Center has found that only about a third of Americans trust the FDAโs ability to protect them from harmful products.
This controversy highlights how rapidly misinformation can spread, even from respected figures. People must verify facts before sharing claims about food safety or technology. d. Consumers deserve accurate information so they can make informed choices about what they eat. Public debates need facts, not fear or speculation, to lead to genuine progress. Informed conversations will help balance innovation, consumer trust, and safety for everyone who relies on the food system.
