Storing grain in non-food grade plastic

Is it ok to do?

I bought some cheap buckets from a BoP Winery today. They're 6.5 gallon and they hold bags of the juice.
They're all PP #f plastic which I'm pretty sure is not food grade.

Is storing malt in these ok?

Nick

 

I would use some type of liner like this one:

http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_ZA%20B105_A_name_E_Metallized+Liner+for+Buckets

I use these and the gamma lids for all my grains and whatnots.

Z

 

I'm on crack. Should have used Google before posting....#5 PP *is* food grade plastic.

 

Even so is there a reason to be concerned about food grade containers for storage of grain?

 

All plastic is food grade. However, if you use liquid or reuse containers with liquid or anything that can get into scratches from cleaning then the harder "food grade" stuff is necessary. As for storing grain, it is a dry good and wont require any cleaning other than maybe a quick hose down so you can use any non clear container. All thehomebrew shops ive been to use simple plastic stoorage bins with pull off lids. If you are keeping them long term i would use buckets because the seal is tighter or put them in a trash bag and tie them before putting it into a bin.......trashbags are sterile

 

Man, that is an awesome link.

 

Well. It depends on whether you care about the potential long term health effects.

I figure it this way. I can get food grade containers for next to nothing (e.g. Used from my local co-op for $1 minus member discount), or for $2.97 from Walmart (google Walmart food grade buckets), or use a liner as mentioned above (also cheap). Given this, why buy buckets that are made of recycled plastic with an unknown origin? (that is, you don't know what "stuff" was in the original, etc.)

I have a couple/ few hundred # of grains from group buys. Most of the base grains are in food-grade plastic with gamma seal lids. For the specialty grains, I seal them in reasonable sized increments using a vacuum sealer, and just store them in a plastic storage box. (For instance, I did a third of a sack of crystal 60 in 1# increments.). I also have done this with some base grains that I don't expect to use for a few (or more) months.

I may be anal about this, but want to ensure the grain remains fresh and critters are kept out, and figure being able to brew craft beer for under $0.30 per bottle (grains, hops, yeast) makes it worth it!

 

No, it isn't. Food grade means it has been tested to meet certifications for contact with product intended for human consumption. Not all materials undergo this certification and not all materials are suitable for food grade applications.

 

Farm n fleet buckets are only 3 dollars with lids, it doesn't say food grade on the buckets but if you go to manufacturers website under faq it says all their buckets are food grade.
The seal is really tight but I put a strip of tape around the outside just to make sure and poked a hole in the top for airlock.