Lead-free marbles?

[MisterZ]

Do I have a gallon of toxic waste? I have my first batch of mead in secondary, and I used a bag of marbles to maintain volume. Then I see referenced somewhere that "lead-free" marbles are recommended, and I have lost track of that post & it's poster. I would have noticed a reference to lead on the marble bag label if it had been mentioned. I could call Walmart and ask, but I doubt they'd know anything the label didn't say. The mead has been in secondary about 5 days. Maybe I'll just rack again, lose the marbles and tolerate the dead air in the jug. Any thoughts?

 

[fatbloke]

So presuming that glass is generally inert chemically, if there was any lead in the glass or colouring how's it going to leech out ?

There aren't many chems which will damage glass and of the ones I can think of, none of the can be found in mead.......or any other food grade products for that matter......

If you have another mead similar, you can top it up with that. You can use a similar looking wine (of a similar gravity), water will dilute so it depends on how much is needed, vodka will dry it out some and reduce body/mouth feel, etc etc....

You could just remove the marbles and if you can obtain some CO2 you can flood the airspace with that to blanket the batch.....

Personally I wouldn't worry. Marbles are aimed at kids and Walmart don't want to give out compensation for possible contamination.

Oh and rich people don't die from contamination after drinking from lead crystal glasses etc either.

 

[nitack]

The big concern with lead was its use in paint, both for walls and on objects, as children have a propensity to stick any and everything in their mouths. Lead could build up in a developing brain and cause lasting impairments. It was much less of a concern in adults as it took more lead to become generally toxic to adult.

You'll be fine

 

[Inner10]

The big concern with lead was its use in paint, both for walls and on objects, as children have a propensity to stick any and everything in their mouths. Lead could build up in a developing brain and cause lasting impairments. It was much less of a concern in adults as it took more lead to become generally toxic to adult.

You'll be fine

So how many marbles can I eat before a problem accumulates?

 

[Spc_Scott]

So how many marbles can I eat before a problem accumulates?

I'd say at least a dozen or so...

Not a doctor
Play one on TV!

 

[BobTheAverage]

Lead doesn't dissolve as well in water as some people think. I think that would be double if the lead is in a solid solution with glass, which is pretty darn inert. I wouldn't be too worried.

 

[MisterZ]

If you have another mead similar, you can top it up with that. You can use a similar looking wine (of a similar gravity), water will dilute so it depends on how much is needed, vodka will dry it out some and reduce body/mouth feel, etc etc....
You could just remove the marbles and if you can obtain some CO2 you can flood the airspace with that to blanket the batch.....
Oh and rich people don't die from contamination after drinking from lead crystal glasses etc either.

Thanx all, and Fatbloke the topping off options are the answer to another of the many questions I have. Very cool. I'm not going to dump my very first batch. No way! It's just that I remembered someone specifying "lead free" was the thing to use. Anyway, ay my local grocer I found spring water in a sturdy 101 ounce clear jug. Perfect size, $1.39, the bung fits, and I'll toss the water in the red ale I'm cooking up next week. Now I can get right to tasting my creation in .... a half a year or so? ..... Arggghhhh! (Of COURSE Ill snitch a taste before that!)