Drawing off hot syrup into plastic food grade buckets....safe?

[sbedilion]

Are there any issues with drawing off boiling sap/syrup into a plastic 5 gallon food grade bucket?

[lyford]

Well I'd be willing to bet that the food safe buckets are not meant to carry hot liquids. What I mean is they probably leach some sort of chemical into the hot liquids. If you don't intend on selling your syrup and its just for you, then I guess you can do whatever you're comfortable with. Personally I draw off hot syrup into stainless steel containers.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Been doing it for years and never had a problem. I play nice with them until they cool. So is bottling in plastic jugs safe??? Hot syrup thru poly step saver hose.

[sbedilion]

Well I'd be willing to bet that the food safe buckets are not meant to carry hot liquids. What I mean is they probably leach some sort of chemical into the hot liquids. If you don't intend on selling your syrup and its just for you, then I guess you can do whatever you're comfortable with. Personally I draw off hot syrup into stainless steel containers.

That was my concern.

[billyinvt]

I'd avoid putting 200+ degree syrup directly into plastic if I could. There are lots of draw off containers that would work without spending $160 for an "official" pail from Leader. I've seen people use a stock pot.

[sbedilion]

I'd avoid putting 200+ degree syrup directly into plastic if I could. There are lots of draw off containers that would work without spending $160 for an "official" pail from Leader. I've seen people use a stock pot.

I've been using a stock pot. I'm upgrading from a 2x3 flat pan to a 3x4 flat pan. With my 2x3....drawing off near syrup fills up my stock pot to the top. The new 3x4 will double the drawoff amount....guess I can pick up another cheap stock pot.

[RileySugarbush]

We draw off into a 20 quart seamless stainless pail we got from a local farm store. About $40

[berkshires]

Not all food-safe plastic is the same. Some is designed for hot food and some is not. Your bucket should say on the bottom what it's made of e.g. PP - polypropylene or HDPE - high density poly-ethylene. If it doesn't say that, it should have a number in the recycling symbol e.g. "4" or "5".

For example, some of my buckets I got from the bakery in the local grocery store. They were made to hold frosting, which goes into the buckets at a high temp I imagine. They're made of polypropylene, which is approved for hot beverages and for re-use. I currently have no reason to pour hot syrup into them, but if I did, I'd be okay with that.

[sbedilion]

Not all food-safe plastic is the same. Some is designed for hot food and some is not. Your bucket should say on the bottom what it's made of e.g. PP - polypropylene or HDPE - high density poly-ethylene. If it doesn't say that, it should have a number in the recycling symbol e.g. "4" or "5".

For example, some of my buckets I got from the bakery in the local grocery store. They were made to hold frosting, which goes into the buckets at a high temp I imagine. They're made of polypropylene, which is approved for hot beverages and for re-u I currently have no reason to pour hot syrup into them, but if I did, I'd be okay with that.



That is some great info! I have several buckets that use to hold frosting also. I will look for the markings you pointed out. Thanks!

[Haynes Forest Products]

sbedilion I also draw off into a SS stepsaver bucket. The discussion morphed from using plastic to what is best. Many wholesalers except syrup in plastic pails. They also want it filtered and hot packed. I have also hot packed into the food grade blue barrels but have moved away. I haven't heard anything about NOT using plastic.