Is Galvanized Construction Cloth Safe For Dehydration Racks?

[City Bound]

Is galvanized construction cloth food safe to use for drying racks? What about metal housing screens, and the newer plastic screens, are they food safe?

I am reading Home Drying (Vegetables, fruits, and herbs) by Phyllis Hobson and she suggests making drying racks from construction cloth, but her book was written in 1975, so maybe her info is not so trustworthy.

[Chad]

I wouldn't especially if you're drying acidic fruits as they will cause leaching. Industrial Zinc (which is what gives the metal its Galvanization properties) is not good for your body

This is taken from the FDA page.

Galvanized metal may not be used for UTENSILS or FOODCONTACT SURFACES of EQUIPMENT that are used in contact with acidic FOOD.

[Cyngbaeld]

I just put a layer of paper towels over the galvanized wire. I like the hardware cloth because it is cheap and strong.

[nehimama]

You could try using some of the large rectangular sheets of plastic canvas. (From the craft store.)

[City Bound]

Originally Posted by Chad

I wouldn't especially if you're drying acidic fruits as they will cause leaching. Industrial Zinc (which is what gives the metal its Galvanization properties) is not good for your body

This is taken from the FDA page.

Galvanized metal may not be used for UTENSILS or FOODCONTACT SURFACES of EQUIPMENT that are used in contact with acidic FOOD.

Chad, thanks for that info. What do you use to dehydrate on?

[City Bound]

Originally Posted by Cyngbaeld

I just put a layer of paper towels over the galvanized wire. I like the hardware cloth because it is cheap and strong.

Do the juices soak the towels?

Does anyone else do this?

Does any one see a reason why the zinc in the wire would still be dangerous even with paper towels on it?

[Pelenaka]

There is nylon window screening available.

I use plastic craft canvas on my old roncho dehydrator.


~~ pelenaka ~~

[City Bound]

Originally Posted by Pelenaka

There is nylon window screening available.

I use plastic craft canvas on my old roncho dehydrator.


~~ pelenaka ~~

Is that plastic screen safe for food? Plastic craft canvas is safe? Is the plastic canvas the stuff people use to make those drawings with yarn?

I just picked up an old ronco from a church sale. A three tray round one. How do you like the ronco?

Since you have an old ronco, let me ask you, do you think the plastic they used is just regular plastic or was it some specially designed food grade plastic? I ask because I do not think that back in the day there was all these numbers on the plastic and concern about food safe lastic. Maybe I am wrong.

[NamasteMama]

My grandma used dry all her fruits on a window screen in the sun. She's still kicken at almost 90 with health issues, so I would say its fine.

[brosil]

Your grandma most likely had bronze window screens. No to galvanizing.

[copperkid3]

poisoning......what about from plastic toxicity??? These are drying units in which 'heat' is used......
or am I being a polly-anna as well??? Any studies done or health-warnings from those in the know???

[Pelenaka]

Originally Posted by City Bound

Is that plastic screen safe for food? Plastic craft canvas is safe? Is the plastic canvas the stuff people use to make those drawings with yarn?

I just picked up an old ronco from a church sale. A three tray round one. How do you like the ronco?

Since you have an old ronco, let me ask you, do you think the plastic they used is just regular plastic or was it some specially designed food grade plastic? I ask because I do not think that back in the day there was all these numbers on the plastic and concern about food safe lastic. Maybe I am wrong.

I love my old Ronco dehydrators because as you said one can come by them cheaply. Once you actually put into dehydrating practice then you can make the decision if the more expensive dehydrator would be a benefit.
I had an American Harvester dehydrator the type that Wally World sells that I found curb shopping fan died and I sold the trays to a fellow HTer. The fan aspect was nice but it did break.

As to the type of plastic used in the original manufacture I think that the plastic is acceptable to the standards of the day when they were manufactured and yes I do think that it was food grade plastic for all that's worth. The manual I have has a copyright of 1995 and printed in USA.
I suppose that it's a personal decision just not one that I'm concerned with bigger fish to fry & all that, what with other more immediate food safety issues.

I've never check the temps of these but I believe they don't get any hotter than 130 degrees. The manual also says not to use PAM cooking spray on the trays.
The link to my blog is a post on the use of plastic craft canvas.

~~ pelenaka ~~
http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.c...issue-box.html

[Chad]

Originally Posted by City Bound

Chad, thanks for that info. What do you use to dehydrate on?

I have a small commercial unit that I use currently. It has plastic racks (which I also do not care for, the heat causes the heavy metals in plastic to leach out as well)

One of my winter projects is to build my own, larger unit. I will actually be using stainless mesh over a wood frame for mine. NOT cheap but should last forever if well taken care of.

[City Bound]

Originally Posted by Chad

I have a small commercial unit that I use currently. It has plastic racks (which I also do not care for, the heat causes the heavy metals in plastic to leach out as well)

One of my winter projects is to build my own, larger unit. I will actually be using stainless mesh over a wood frame for mine. NOT cheap but should last forever if well taken care of.

Chad, stainless mesh is that the stuff used for stucco? Where do you buy this stainless mesh?

[City Bound]

Originally Posted by copperkid3

poisoning......what about from plastic toxicity??? These are drying units in which 'heat' is used......
or am I being a polly-anna as well??? Any studies done or health-warnings from those in the know???

Yes, a lot of plastic is not good for your health.

[rags57078]

look here

http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/D...ies-42-cat.htm

[City Bound]

Rags, what are you showing us, the dehydrator or the non stick drying sheets they sell? Are you saying to use those sheets over construction cloth?

[Chad]

Originally Posted by City Bound

Chad, stainless mesh is that the stuff used for stucco? Where do you buy this stainless mesh?

Well, I can't comment on what they use behind stucco, but I would think not. To my limited understanding, what they use behind stucco is basically chicken wire.

I am talking about something like this.

Stainless mesh

It's readily available on-line and in lots of better hardware cloth type distributors. Perhaps a steel or welding supplier in your area?

[copperkid3]

Originally Posted by City Bound

Chad, stainless mesh is that the stuff used for stucco? Where do you buy this stainless mesh?

********************************************
and from what I research on it, is available in aluminum, carbon steel and stainless. The stuff
used for stucco however would normally be the carbon steel, as stainless in much too expensive for that particular need.
The carbon steel type would probably work for food trays as well as the stainless.....aluminum....hmmmm....probably not.
Just google expanded metal and you'll find out everything you didn't want to know about the stuff.

[City Bound]

chad and copper, thanks