Orange Zest Melts Plastic

[rideincircles]

After making a couple beers that used orange zest, I figured out orange zest melts plastic. I weighed the orange zest using plastic cups and I noticed that the plastic became cloudy and was visibly pitted from the orange zest. (I will see if I can post a picture of them later).

What is the main reason for this? I assume it is the citric acid content melting the plastic the same way it can cook a fish. I came across this article which shows what can happen using a thin plastic container, mine were thicker than that, but possibly the same material.

http://lanseybrothers.blogspot.com/2010/03/mysterious-orange-reaction.html

Anyways, after seeing this happen on two separate occasions, I have come to the conclusion to use metal or glass when weighing out orange peel or zest.

This is a picture from that blog post.

 

[IslandLizard]

I doubt it's citric acid dissolving plastic, more the citrus oils.

 

[Owly055]

I doubt it's citric acid dissolving plastic, more the citrus oils.

"Plastic" is a broad category, but one many of us should be familiar with by now. Polystyrene is about the only plastic subject to "melting" by oils and solvents, it's cheap and it's common. Rather than just "Orange Zest Melts Plastic", it would be more useful to say "Orange Zest Melts Plastic # 6" Look at the recycle number and you will find that it is indeed 6.


H.W.

 

[TeeJo]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Organic Solvents!

That is why Orange Oil is used in cleaning supplies.

TeeJo

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Don't fear the glass. Use mason jars!

MC

 

[TeeJo]

Oh yeah. Make a video, post on youtube, claim it happened because of GMO pesticides being used on the Oranges and that this proves they are unsafe.

Sadly, it'd probably go viral and be believed by a whole bunch of people that would or should know better if they paid any attention in school.

TeeJo

 

[rideincircles]

I will confirm that it is plastic #6. Orange Zest melts polystyrene.

Should I toss all the melted plastic then? It was a tasting I glass I measured it out with, and also the lid to a digital scale.

 

[Owly055]

I will confirm that it is plastic #6. Orange Zest melts polystyrene.

Should I toss all the melted plastic then? It was a tasting I glass I measured it out with, and also the lid to a digital scale.

I would toss it.......... I personally don't use #6 for anything food related if I can help it. That includes those little cups, as well as the ubiquitous foam coffee cup. I don't know that it is particularly toxic, I just don't trust it. Of the plastics out there, acrylic is considered to be the most food safe, but none of these kinds of products are made from acrylic that I know of.


H.W.