emergency sap storage

[BobMac]

hi all,
was wondering what some of you would use for
storing sap in a emergency? have 2 60 gallon food grade
plastic barrels coming Tuesday,but with this crazy Michigan weather the sap flow is crazy.With prior commitments I won't
be able to boil till Tuesday either .Would a plastic garbage can be safe for a day or 2 ?? any ideas will help .

Thanks BobMac

[maple flats]

No, they are recycled plastic and you have no idea what some of the plastic might have held. You could however use on if you use a food grade barrel liner.

[325abn]

If it's just you and yours using the syrup (not selling it) then make your own choice with regards to how you store your raw sap. Lots of sap has been stored in what is now considered "inappropriate" tanks, barrels, buckets etc etc.

[motowbrowne]

I'd use buckets personally, but I've got a lot of extra buckets.

[Snappyssweets]

I have used the tubs you can buy in walmart and meijer. Lids and tubs in 30 gallon size usually. Then you can toss in frozen 2 liters of milk jugs if you need too.
I know I hear it now. Not food grade unsafe. Yeah and eggs and old buckets, the water and the air are all not good for us either. We either live or we die. :D

[jbelany]

Right or wrong I am unsure, but I have used the Brute garbage cans with no undesired effects. I store these in a cold, dark area and boil every 5-7 days depending on my work schedule. This is from their website:

"Meets NSF 2, 21 approval and USDA meat and poultry group listed, ensuring regulatory compliance for food storage and clean ability."

Joe

[KV Sappers]

I know I hear it now. Not food grade unsafe. Yeah and eggs and old buckets, the water and the air are all not good for us either. We either live or we die. :D
I sometimes wonder how any of us baby boomers are still alive today with all the you should not have this or that, do this or that, and yet we're still kicking and making maple syrup.

[johnpma]

Rubbermaid "Brute" cans are food grade TSC $30

[BobMac]

Thanks for all the reply's found a 60 gallon food grade
barrel that has a screw on lid on craigslist for 45 dollars.
Had to drive 40 mins to get it its well worth it.Great to know that brute
cans are food safe will have to remember that.still have 2 more coming from a different source so will have plenty of storage that i probably won't need :)

[RollinsOrchards]

Lowes and Tractor Supply usually have food grade 5 gallon pails for maybe $3 depending on the day and your local markup. Lids can range from a buck to $2. For temporary storage that is actually fairly cheap per gallon, and useful in other ways.

[Galena]

Seeing that I sometimes have to use a rubbermaid Roughneck for sap storage, I was a little concerned when I saw this and another thread on safe food-grade plastics. Needless to say I am glad that my Roughneck, a #4, is indeed considered food grade.

Here's a handy link: http://ecovillagegreen.com/903/what-do-the-plastic-recycling-numbers-mean/

[Big_Eddy]

Its not just the type of plastic but the process of making it. If it doesn't say food safe (knife and fork symbol, NSF, label), then it probably isn't. Just because it's the right plastic does not mean the mould release agents used aren't toxic or it wasn't made from previously recycled contaminated material.

You're going to concentrate any contaminants 40x. Read your labels and buy wisely.

[saphound]

Its not just the type of plastic but the process of making it. If it doesn't say food safe (knife and fork symbol, NSF, label), then it probably isn't. Just because it's the right plastic does not mean the mould release agents used aren't toxic or it wasn't made from previously recycled contaminated material.

You're going to concentrate any contaminants 40x. Read your labels and buy wisely.

Hi Big Eddy, I have found that not all food safe containers will have the "cup and fork" symbol. Milk and juice jugs don't, for example. Any container marked HDPE (with a 2 in the triangle) is considered food safe. HDPE plastic is not made from recycled materials nor will it leach anything into food or liquid. I have a couple buckets I got from a deli that originally had pickles in them. They are marked with a 5 and PP (polypropylene)..they don't have the cup and fork symbol either. You can read more about HDPE plastic here:
http://bearboardlumber.com/bearboard-plastic-advantage/what-is-hdpe.html