depending on what you read (here & other places) then choose to interpret, it is both safe AND unsafe to use for food smoking, no wonder i'm confused (& evidently many others across the internet).
There's clear sucking of teeth when it's mentioned, & on the flipside recommendations to use / purchase galv incinerator bins or buy galv steel professional smoke box / shack (of which i've witnessed both today here rootling through the archives.
So what is it? safe or Unsafe...
Surprisingly I landed on this bit of heresay which seemed pretty informative (maybe no if I probe further).
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source: [url][http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/284991/url]
Question posed was safety of galv incinerator for use as a smoker... but to save time i've merely posted the 2 clear answers (from persons unknown, "someone random off the net")
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Robert G Jun 7, 2006 12:52 AM
My research on the web and several MSDS sites, plus information gleaned from Raku glazers using Galvanized trash cans, indicates you would have to heat the Zinc above it's Boiling point to generate fumes. Not likely to happen in a smoker.
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FlyFish May 5, 2006 08:39 AM
I work in the area of assessment of human health risk from exposure to unregulated hazardous waste sites. Galvanized products are coated with pure zinc, which is not one of the metals that we generally pay a lot of attention to because it's unusual to find health risks in the general population from exposure to zinc. Zinc is one of a number of metals that the body requires in trace quantities but which can become toxic if consumed in sufficient amounts. Excess zinc in the body can also be detrimental because it has the effect of stripping other beneficial trace metals (e.g., copper and calcium) before it itself becomes toxic.
Zinc melts at a relatively low temperature and I suspect that in your galvanized trash can smoker some zinc is vaporized and ends up on the surface of your food. This probably occurs at a much smaller rate after the smoker acquires the black coating you describe, which would have the effect of isolating the zinc coating.
All of that said, I strongly doubt you are exposing yourself to enough zinc to be concerned. As you may be aware, some people believe that relatively large doses of zinc protect against and/or cure the rhinoviruses that cause the common cold and similar diseases. If you regularly take zinc supplements for that or some other reason (and eat a lot of your own barbeque) there may be a small chance that the additional zinc from the smoker could be detrimental. Otherwise, I personally wouldn't be worried about it.
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What is your take on this subject? galv steel is a rock solid cheap item (done properly) with potentially extensive lifespan & durability with pretty much zero maintenance,....
It's a favourite proven material to me (as farming stock) & strikes me as good material to stick on an outside wall as a smoker, would you use it as a liner / construction material then go over it with a different coating (that is an option in the galv hot dip trade) & would that be enough to allay fears?
coating used is a polyurethane format (not read up on it admittedly, however it's worth remembering p/u is very widely used withing the food & beverage industry ..& in refrigerators for panels etc.
I know cold smoke / hot smoke are poles apart, but so is a covering layer of smokey build up compared to a shiny new lump of galv!
Your input as ever is greatly appreciated.
confusing innit?
