Holy crap, I used metal! Help!

[hatchetfish]

So, I'm rushing to this forum after I realized something...the mason jars that I use for my second ferment have metal lids

I'm originally from MI, so Flint water crisis has my mind jumping immediately to lead poisoning.

I typically put a plastic baggie inbetween the lid and the jar to get an extra airtight seal...similarly to how pieces of cloth are used for canning jars. Does anyone think that the plastic bags are enough to spare me? Is my kombucha safe or have I been poisoning myself?

Thanks in advance...

 

[afro_lou]

Sorry to say, start planning the funeral now. You're toast.

 

[hatchetfish]

Sorry to say, start planning the funeral now. You're toast.

Look, I know obviously I'm not going to fall over dead in the next five minutes, I'm simply asking if my kombucha is safe to drink. I've heard that the metal can leach into the kombucha. Does it leach once it's seperated from the scoby? Or is it fine at this point?

 

[afro_lou]

Hey, sorry for the snark, can't help it sometimes... [emoji16]

I would assume that there wouldn't be nearly enough time or surface area contact with the lid to make any sort of a difference. Even though kombucha is acidic, I can't imagine it would be enough to really pull much out of the metal. Also, those lids should technically be food safe, which would mean no really harmful metals would be in there anyway.

I'd feel petty darn safe drinking that stuff.

RDWHAHBK*


*Relax, Don't Worry, Have A HomeBrew Kombucha
[emoji6]

 

[rhoadsrage]

Mason jars are designed to hold acidic foods, tomato juice, pickles, and they have a rubber casket on and some type of protective barrier in the inside of the lid. Never used lids that are scratched or rusty anywhere. Tin and Iron Oxide (rust) have very strong tastes and if they got into your Kombucha you would no it.

However if you want peace of mind, you could due a lead water test on a small sample of your kombucha to be sure. I would say it is more probable that and chance of lead would come from the original water source you used rather than from mason jars.