PVC, White - Using For Hoops Etc In Making Cheese

[vavroom]

I'm a bit curious. I see a lot of people are using all kind of plastics to age their cheeses on, or to hoop their cheeses. Yet it is often "I found it at the hardware store" or "available from your local craft store". There's also a recommendation of using some of the rubbery mats you can cut to size.

None of these strike me as particularly food-safe. PVC in particular is particularly horrid when it comes to leeching toxins.

Are you guys and gals using those because you aren't bothered by it, or because you never considered the issue?

Just curious.

[Alex]

As far as I know, Cloride is released in form of gas during manufacturing process of goods and is mostly dangerous for the machinery operators. Personally, I have one 6" pvc hoop, and some poly-propylene (hot waist grainage pipes) and HDPE hoops.

[MarkShelton]

This has been a pretty hotly debated topic in the past. My take on the subject is this:
Unless I am 100% sure the materials I use are appropriate and safe, I won't use it. There are a lot of "what-ifs" that some people are willing to go by, such as "what if I don't use the PVC at high temperatures, or for long periods of time."

However, I do believe that raw milk is acceptable for cheese, given the proper sanitation and precautions, even though there is an inherent risk in using it. It's funny what I will and won't take risks with...

[padams]

Just how safe were the wood hoops and followers used by early cheesemakers or for that matter, the animal skins milk was first carried in?  How safe were the early mold strains?  Some studies extol the virtues of wood's antibiotic qualities, and in the same breath warn that wood harbors billions of bacteria that you can only kill with special uv lights.

Every day there is something new on the local news that "might" kill me.  It might give me cancer or might be the reason for my MS or my allergies or even the reason my cat is crosseyed.  2 years ago vaccines caused autism; today they don't.  see my point?  No one can make up their mind, because for every study that says something is dangerous, there is another that says it isn't.  So who is right and who is wrong?

I am far more concerned with the amount of preservatives and artificial garbage in prepared foods than anecdotal "evidence" as to the harmfullness of plastics.  In fact, the reason pvc pipe is so prevalent is because copper pipes for our water were "killing" us.

Common sense tells me that I am going to die of old age, genetics or being a down-winder (nuclear test fallout) long before plastic, teflon coated pans or microwave steam bags get me.  But then, aren't we all going to die when the Mayan calendar ends in 18 months? 

[JMB]

Well I certainly agree with you on this. Confusion.  Last year some particular thing would kill you and this year it is good for you. Huh??    I read something a few years ago that made me laugh. Someone wrote that they had it all figured out, sarcasticaly speaking of course.  Cancer is caused by carrots because everyone that ever had cancer had eaten a carrot. (Wow don't let that get out or someone actually may mistakenly believe it and I will be in deep trouble.)  Research is all about discovery based on what is known at the time and realistically most things remain in research stage almost forever.  And then there is interpretive opinion of the research.  And then sometimes there is who paid for the research--too bad about that factor for sure. Guess we live accordingly until further notice.   Eat, drink, and be merry, especially be merry.  Stress is probably the most toxic thing most of us encounter in our daily lives--tis mine.
Jen

[vavroom]

Thanks for the input. Clearly divided takes

In the end, it's what works for each one of us, I guess

[vogironface]

I do not know the answer either,and I realize cheese and water are not the same thing, but I find it interesting that our culinary water is piped to us in huge underground blue PVC water pipes.

[JohnnyBHammerer]

I wish the answer was more clear.  I guess each has to decide the risks and trade-offs for themselves.

The crazy person on the corner warning of the coming earth quakes is correct on some days.   

[vavroom]

@Ben, in New Zealand, incoming potable water is not allowed to be piped through PVC piping. Grey water can be disposed of through PVC, but tap water doesn't touch PVC.

@Johnny, quite right, the earth quake is coming. In New Zealand, we have more than 14,000 quakes per year Most of them unfelt, obviously. Still...

[MrsKK]

we each have to make our own decisions about what we will use and what we consider safe.

Most people would not eat colby cheese made from raw cow's milk at anything less than 2 months old (because of USDA guidelines), but I eat it all the time.  As well as drink the milk raw.  But I know my source.  And my molds are made from potable water grade PVC.  I'm happy with my decision.

I'm sure that the 18 months I spent smoking cigarettes as a young adult has probably harmed me more.

[DeejayDebi]

Just hought I'd mention that the small screw type presses were sold by several cheese suppliers including Ricci  and Steve until very recently made from PVC pipe.

[vavroom]

Come to think of it, I have no qualms about eating raw milk cheese (either side of 60 days), I eat steak tartare (if I make it myself), I eat raw eggs... So one might say I live dangerously as it is.

I guess for me, the issue is that plastics/pvc are synthetic stuff. Yeah, the natural stuff might kill me just as well, but... Dunno!

[padams]

Bleh!  I don't like my meat to talk back to me before I eat it..... 

[JohnnyBHammerer]

If one is worried about PVC do you think lining a mold made from PVC pipe with say an HDPE cutting mat or other food safe plastic like a single use zip top bag would keep any undesirable chemicals from leaching into ones cheese?

[Alex]

No reason to complicate it. Use HDPE pipe/tube. GEBERIT is one of the leading manufacturers in the world. Be aware, those are very expensive.