Why 1.5x the boil for a brewpot?

It's worth noting that dimethylpolysiloxane (silicone) has been used in food since the 70s. It was found to be not harmful to lab animals in the 70s by the World Health Organization. The FDA set the 10ppm limit for "ready to eat" food in 1995.

Dow chemical makes dimethylpolysiloxane. Few companies have deeper pockets than Dow, but clearly a more powerful, anti-silicone company must have bribed the FDA to get the 10ppm limit established.

Dimethylpolysiloxane is also found in Silly Putty and Chicken McNuggets, so you know it's good stuff!

Personally, I don't think it is anything to panic about, but I encourage you to ask yourself if the risk is worth the reward when using it isn't necessary at all.

Cheers!

So then, what's the limit based on? What happens if you consume 11ppm? Or what if I go crazy and consume 100ppm? Just saying, "we don't recommend you eat silicone" is far different than saying that it is actually harmful.

Gameface said:

So then, what's the limit based on? What happens if you consume 11ppm? Or what if I go crazy and consume 100ppm? Just saying, "we don't recommend you eat silicone" is far different than saying that it is actually harmful.

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I can't easily find the study, so I can't answer your question, but I'm fairly certain there is some science behind the 10ppm limit.

Perhaps someone will volunteer to drink a whole bottle of fermentap S so we can get some real answers? (NO...don't do that!)

Also, what happens when the levels are exceeded? Usually recommendations like this tell you that "has been found to cause XYZ in high dosages or after continual exposure". Do we grow a 6th toe? Lose our teeth? A second.....

tre9er said:

Also, what happens when the levels are exceeded? Usually recommendations like this tell you that "has been found to cause XYZ in high dosages or after continual exposure". Do we grow a 6th toe? Lose our teeth? A second.....

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I believe it has been established that your "boobs get bigger".
Yes, that's it. "Boobs get bigger".

hth

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

I believe it has been established that your "boobs get bigger".
Yes, that's it. "Boobs get bigger".

hth

Cheers!

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When a snake bites a silicone boob, it dies.


http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/snakes_dies_of_silicone_poisoning_BW3UBtoDvsmZj6Be7n2r4O

Hence the problem with the 10 ppm limit, the FDA does not cite its sources for the limit (I read the document) and it certainly isn't based on peer reviewed literature (I went through several refinement categories on SciFinder related to dimethylpolysiloxane and its biological/toxicological effects).

I can't find any info on how they determined 10ppm is a safe limit for food. Humans are allowed to take 200mg per day of dimethylpolysiloxane for therapeutic uses which is more than you are going to consume by drinking beer made with fermentap S. However, it appears that the therapeutic use isn't a long term application.

It should also be noted that "virtually all" of the ingested silicone is excreted out your back door.

tre9er said:

Also, what happens when the levels are exceeded? Usually recommendations like this tell you that "has been found to cause XYZ in high dosages or after continual exposure". Do we grow a 6th toe? Lose our teeth? A second.....

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IIRC, it clogs up your kidneys, impairing their function.

TheBrewinator said:

Hence the problem with the 10 ppm limit, the FDA does not cite its sources for the limit (I read the document) and it certainly isn't based on peer reviewed literature (I went through several refinement categories on SciFinder related to dimethylpolysiloxane and its biological/toxicological effects).

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My best guess is Dow chemical is the source and the standard was set to minimize their product liability.

Many foods processers use this chemical to control foam in sauces and cold filled products. Its not filtered before it hits your plate!

I've read that this chemical drops out of solution quickly and into the trub during fermentation. So if you aren't racking your trub into your beer, wipe your brow.

Fermcap-s is your friend. 53 or so gallons in a 55 gallon drum is scary as hell even with fermcap.