Michelle Pfeiffer slams FDA-approved food technology once backed by Bill Gates

Pfeiffer is piping up.

Michelle Pfeiffer took to Instagram on Thursday to slam Apeel – an FDA-approved food technology once funded by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.

After sharing a post that claimed “organic produce is no longer safe” because “Bill Gates’ Apeel just got approved for USDA-certified organic,” the actress said that she was “very concerned” about the approval.

“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,” Pfeiffer, 67, wrote on her Instagram Stories. “Very concerning.”

The “Batman Returns” icon returned to the social media platform to share a list of grocery stores and markets that will not sell products coated in Apeel. The list included major stores like Costco, Publix and Trader Joe’s.

Apeel Sciences was founded in 2012 by CEO James Rogers. He received two grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which totaled less than $1.1 million. Since then, Apeel has reportedly been backed by venture capitalist Andreessen Horowitz. 

In April 2024, the brand even wrote on their official Instagram account that the entrepreneur had “zero involvement or ownership in Apeel.”

“We’re a team who value honesty and transparency, dedicated to enhancing food accessibility and sustainability,” the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Apeel’s website claims that the company’s mission “has always been to eradicate food insecurity for the most vulnerable people.”

“Apeel Sciences was founded on the promise of developing safe, sustainable solutions that extend the quality and life of fresh produce, making it more accessible and enjoyable to consumers while reducing food waste around the world,” the website reads.

“Apeel helps reduce waste with a natural alternative to plastic packaging,” it continues, “promoting better food systems and a healthier planet.”

Despite Pfeiffer’s concern that the coating cannot be “washed off,” the company claims that “you can remove Apeel coatings by rinsing your fruits or veggies with water and gently scrubbing them using your hands or a soft brush.”

“Our product is also intended to be edible,” Apeel Co-Founder Jenny Du also told the Associated Press in April 2023.

The Post has reached out to Pfeiffer’s reps for comment.

The “Tequila Sunrise” star’s Instagram posts about Apeel may come as a surprise, particularly because she largely lives a quiet life without much controversy.

Pfeiffer made headlines last year when she announced that she would star in an AppleTV+ series, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” alongside Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman.

“2025 is already off to a great start!” she wrote on Instagram in September. “Excited to be in such fabulous company on this one.”

The AppleTV+ series was created for the streaming giant by Pfeiffer’s husband of more than 30 years, David E. Kelley.

The couple met during a blind date in 1993 and married later that year.

The “Scarface” star previously claimed that she would never work with her husband, although that rule has apparently changed when it comes to “Margo’s Got Money Troubles.”

“I’ve seen a lot of couples where they seem to have a really great marriage, and then they work together and next year they’re filing for divorce,” she told The New Yorker in 2021.