galanised extractor etc are they ok to use

[Cedar]

hi All, Would old galvanised honey extractor and buckets etc be ok to stil use as long as no rust and clean being a newbee would appreciate your opinions, thanks.

 

[victor meldrew]

Honey Regs state food grade s/steel or food grade plastic !

VM

 

[justme]

Depends on whether honey is for home use or not. I think to sell, VM s answer has to be correct.

 

[Poly Hive]

As per above but... if for your own use then no issues.

Be very clear in your own mind though that if you offer such extracted honey for sale it is breaking goodness knows how many regs.

PH

 

[newportbuzz]

you can get them dip coated or powder coated with food grade enamels/paints which meet the regs which everyone is so worried about.
it is quite pricey tho.

 

[enrico]

I started off many years ago with old galvanised extractors etc. Once the metal starts to come through the galvanisation you get in real trouble. There is a chemical reaction that takes place with the honey and starts to turn it black. Sometimes you see it on plastic extractors where a bolt has not been cleaned properly and when you use it again these black streaks start to go in your honey as soon as they touch the surface of the metal bolt.
I bought a food grade plastic extractor and it is SO EASY to clean in comparison to the old metal ones. Splash out on a good one and it will last you for years. Also try using the silicon spatula's for scraping down the honey off the sides of the containers afterwards. It can give you a few extra jars and too is so easy to clean. Save up, go plastic!
E

 

[viridens]

Deja vu here....

Using a galvanized (zinc coated steel) extractor may result in a miniscule amount of dissolved zinc in your honey, far less than the dose of zinc that many folks take daily as a dietary supplement, or that contained in daily multivitamin pills.

In old extractors, exposed bolts etc. the chemical reaction with the underlying iron is due to the gluconic acid in the honey. This reaction produces ferrous gluconate. This black salt is commonly used as a food dye for example in black olives, and is used as a medicine to treat anemia. Like zinc, it can also be found in vitamin pills and dietary supplements. And it can also discolour honey.

 

[Finman]

.
Galvanization means a zink layer. Acid honey dilutes it away.

Before that your pants were brown, since now they will be blue.

 

[MrB]

.
Galvanization means a zink layer. Acid honey dilutes it away.

Before that your pants were brown, since now they will be blue.

Nice one!

 

[enrico]

made me laugh too!

 

[Cedar]

Thanks for that. I thought it was the lead in the zinc well that was what was concerning me, althought not planing to sell any honey yet only first year, I think starting out right has got to be the way to go. so plastic or SS it is.

 

[victor meldrew]

Thanks for that. I thought it was the lead in the zinc well that was what was concerning me, althought not planing to sell any honey yet only first year, I think starting out right has got to be the way to go. so plastic or SS it is.

Zinc is an element not an alloy

VM