[TheForge] Food grade metal

[Bruce .]

Basically, cookware should have nothing that can contaminate the food with
toxins.  Two general types of toxins:  (1) metals or metal oxides, and (2)
organics (like coatings).

An ordinary steel can is coated on the inside, to prevent corrosion of the
can and contamination of the food.  That coating must be food-grade.  You
could possibly boil food in that can as that shouldn't exceed the rigor of
the canning process, but if you fried food in that can, you'd probably
break down the organic coating, possibly releasing toxins and possibly
exposing the food to direct metal contact.

Copper and brass are suitable for contact with water, but the moment they
tarnish they are unsuitable for contact with food.  Clean them with vinegar
and salt immediately before use with other food.

Of course, zinc- and cadmium-plated steel should never be used for food.
Tin plating is generally regarded as safe for food contact, but use PURE
tin, not an alloy.

Many machinable metals contain lead.  (Some ceramic glazes -- especially
brightly colored ones -- also contain lead.)  Lead is leachable into foods,
especially acid foods.  You can minimize the hazard by cleaning with
vinegar and salt, but it's better to avoid the hazard entirely.

Cast iron impresses me as exceptionally for making safe cookware for the
simple reason that the cupola process will burn off most toxic metals --
lead, zinc, cadmium, etc.  I have done no research to verify this, however.

You're probably safe with any commercial cookware, but I don't mean to
imply that you can't make your own.  My own take is that commercial
cookware is cheap enough in this country that there's no need to make your
own.  I also don't believe that bugaboo about aluminum causing Alzheimers
(or was it Parkinson's?).


On Mon, Sep 9, 2013 at 8:54 AM, terry l. ridder <terrylr at blauedonau.com>wrote:

> hello;
>
> simple question: What makes a metal "food grade"?
> basically, implying that the metal may come in contact with food
> whether for human or animal consumption.
>
> I have seen wok used for cooking that are basically planished
> parts of 55 gallon drums left over from the VietNam war?
> Brass casing from artiliery shells used for pots.
>
> i have seen one stew port that looked like the botton of a propane
> cylinder. I did not eat that stew. something about the odorant that is
> used in propane just did not appeal to me.
>
> then I see all the ads in bbc goodfood magazine for obscenely expensive
> cookware. most of the cookware we use is either from salvation army
> thrift stores, business closings,  or aldi's.
>
> --
> terry l. ridder ><>
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-- 
Bruce
NJ