Food safe mineral oil

[Bad Flynch]

Welcome to the forum Bad Flynch.

When I tried my local chemist I asked for mineral oil, he said he did not stock it.

Perhaps you could be more specific. What is the name of the mineral oils that could be used.

Sorry about that. Years ago there were several brands of this on the market, but nowadays there are so many firms marketing it that it is simply sold as Mineral Oil. It is a paraffin based oil, the same as oil for gasoline engine lubrication, but would have no addititves of any kind. It may be called paraffin oil over there. The British equivalent of USP and NF is probably BP. The heavy grade is used as an oil-type laxative when used in relaively large quantities. One of the older trade names was Nujol. The following link http://www.chemistrystore.com/mineral_oil.htm gives many synonyms, but I recognize that some are not entirely correct. It is a clear, pure, odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic form of petroleum oil. It is nontoxic unless it is inhaled, I might add. I hope that helps. I am confined to a chair with a broken ankle right now and cannot get to my books that might contain a correct answer, or I would go and look. Maybe a further web search might be in order.

[Bad Flynch]

Oddley,

Did your chemist say that he knew what it was, but did not stock it? Did he say that he did not recognize what it was but could get it if he could figure it out? Strange. At any rate, I see two names that I associate with British usage: liquid petrolatum and white mineral oil, but I think that the most commonly used name that I have seen in the past used was the paraffin oil name or a variation. If your chemist is willing to try, take these descriptions to him and he should be able to figure it out. Hope that helps.

[Oddley]

Thank you for the reply Bad Flynch. But I have read there are some concerns over hydrocarbons in petrochemical by products. Is this not the case?

I do use Vasaline which is petroleum jelly but only in parts of the machines that will not come into contact with food.

[Bad Flynch]

As far as I am aware, this product is not absorbed at all from the gastrointestinal tract. I seems only to be a problem when accidentaly inhaled or when enough is taken regularly to block the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. The amount that you will be using on blades and plates is insignificant.

It is a relatively pure hydrocarbon product of high enough molecular weight and it is of sufficient viscosity to be inert. Being inert is what allows it to be a laxative; it simply stays in the gut and greases the chute, so to speak. Vaseline, or what is also known here as petrolatum (not liquid petrolatum), is a higher molecular weight version yet. At the other end of the scale is methane, used to fuel your stove. In the middle of the scale is the range occupied by gasoline/petrol (sp?) and diesel fuel. The most common example of the heavy end of the scale is what we know as paraffin wax, used for sealing jars when canning, and it is hard at ordinary room temperaure.

[Oddley]

Thank you Bad Flynch. It is always a pleasure to talk to someone knowledgeable in a subject.

If I can be of assistance to you in the art of curing or cooking, it will be my pleasure conversing with you.