20 October 2026
What's in Plantaera? A closer look at our ingredients
When you use something to wash your fruit and vegetables, it's reasonable to want to know what's in it.
Some of our ingredient names are familiar. Others sound more technical. Here, we explain what each ingredient does and where it comes from.
Medium-chain triglycerides: our coconut-derived oil
Medium-chain triglycerides, often called MCTs, are oils composed of glycerol and medium-chain fatty acids. The MCT oil we use is sourced from coconut and forms part of Plantaera's lipid base.
Lipids are a broad group of substances that includes fats, oils and waxes. Many fruits and vegetables have naturally waxy surfaces, which we considered when developing our formulation.
You may recognise MCT oil from food products. In Plantaera, it has a role in the formulation rather than providing a nutritional benefit.
"Coconut-derived" describes its source. Processing separates and refines the components used in the finished ingredient, so it is different from raw coconut oil.
Glyceryl monocaprylocaprate: helping oils mix with water
Glyceryl monocaprylocaprate has a long name, but its purpose is straightforward.
It is made from glycerol and caprylic and capric fatty acids. The ingredient we use is coconut-derived and acts as an emulsifier, helping the oil components mix with water.
Because Plantaera is a concentrate, you add the water when you're ready to wash. Emulsifiers help the ingredients disperse when the formula is diluted.
Polysorbate 80: helping the oils disperse
Polysorbate 80 is another emulsifier.
To understand its purpose, picture adding oil to a glass of water. The oil tends to separate rather than spread evenly throughout the water.
In Plantaera, Polysorbate 80 works alongside the other ingredients to help distribute the oil components through the washing water.
The Polysorbate 80 we use has components sourced from corn and vegetable oil. These undergo further chemical processing to create an emulsifier that helps oils disperse in water. [1]
It is a manufactured ingredient with plant-derived components, rather than a raw plant extract.
We use food-grade Polysorbate 80 in Plantaera. This means the ingredient meets standards for its composition and purity for food use.
Polysorbate 80 is also used as an emulsifier in some foods, including ice cream, where it helps keep ingredients mixed together. Its permitted uses are subject to specific conditions. [2, 3]
Vitamin E: helping protect the oils
Our vitamin E is derived from soybean oil through processing and purification.
It acts as an antioxidant, helping protect the oils in the formula from oxidation.
Oxidation happens as oils interact with oxygen and can change their quality over time.
Lemon oil: a fresh lemon scent
Lemon oil adds a fresh lemon scent and helps the wash lift oily residues.
Its botanical name may appear as Citrus limon peel oil, depending on the material supplied.
Lemon myrtle oil: our second citrus note
Lemon myrtle oil comes from Backhousia citriodora, an Australian native plant. It contributes to Plantaera's citrus scent and supports the wash's cleaning action.
Despite its lemon scent, lemon myrtle comes from a different plant to the lemon tree.
Plant-based does not mean unprocessed
Our formula includes ingredients from plant sources, including our coconut-derived oil and emulsifier, vitamin E and essential oils.
Ingredients from plants aren't always used in the same form as they occur naturally.
Oils can be refined and plant-sourced materials processed to give them specific functions, such as helping oils mix with water.
Food-grade ingredients, used as directed
Plantaera is made with food-grade ingredients.
That describes the ingredients' specifications. The complete formulation and its intended use also matter.
Add one pump to one litre of water. Wash your fruit and vegetables for around 30 seconds, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water.
More about our ingredients
We share our ingredients and their functions so you can make an informed choice about what you use in your kitchen.
You can find the ingredient table on The Wash page. If you have a question about our formula, you're welcome to contact us.
References
1. Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Polysorbate 80, INS 433): summary of evaluations. View the JECFA evaluation.
2. Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code — Schedule 15: Substances that may be used as food additives. Access the current Food Standards Code.
3. US Food and Drug Administration. 21 CFR §172.840 — Polysorbate 80. Permitted food uses and conditions. Food permissions differ between jurisdictions.