Wax coating on jicama?

[tatamagouche]

Never seen it before until today. Has anyone else? Why, will it go bad less quickly?

[Brandon Nelson]

The wax serves to protect the jicima and extend it's shelf life.

It slows the loss of moisture keeping the root crisp and fresh longer.

The wax also acts a a physical barrier to lessen any bruising or scarring that might otherwise occur in transit and while on display.

[scubadoo97]

I have not noticed it but jicama is something I'm going to peel unlike a cucumber where you end up eating the wax.

[paulj]

In fact I usually peel jicama rather quickly with a knife. The peel is rather coarse and fibrous, so I don't try to stay close to the surface. Yucca is commonly waxed, but I haven't noticed it on jicama.

[Caitlin McGrath]

You eat the peel on waxed cucumbers? Those require peeling in my world, and I only eat the peels of unwaxed ones (which is what I prefer to buy).

And for the OP's question, I've never seen waxed jicama, but unpeeled jicamas keep quite well, so I don't see the logic.

[scubadoo97]

So many things have wax. Apples are waxed, oranges are waxed. The list goes on and on.

[Caitlin McGrath]

Oh, I know - it's another reason to buy produce from the farmers' market! But waxed cucumber skins have an unpleasant, very waxy texture to me that a thorough washing doesn't dislodge, unlike with waxed fruits.

[cheesecake17]

the rind of a waxed cucumber reminds me of chewing on a candle. very unpleasant..

[tatamagouche]

I realize that—but I've never seen it with jicama before. I'm asking, A, is this new for jicama in particular, and B, what's the point?

[tatamagouche]

Of course I slice off the rind too, but I just don't understand the purpose of the wax...it was thick, too.