Silicone Corks Question

[Faeyd]

Folks,

I committed a sin with some silicone corks and I am unsure what potential health hazards there may be. The corks only mentioned to avoid soaking - so I threw boiling water over them which duly melted the silicone off.

When I used them in the 6 bottles that I corked there was a nasty looking dark ooze that come out of the cork and I am wondering if there is now a potenital health risk from the silicone being in thw wine.

I also wondered the best method of steralizing these in future?

 

[Yooper]

I haven't used those corks, so I am not sure exactly what they are or how they are made. I suggest emailing the manufacturer to ask what concerns you should have about melting the silicone.

I don't do much to sanitize my corks. If it's a fresh unopened package, I just use them out of the bag. If it's an opened package, I often throw a campden tablet into a measuring cup of water and microwave that a minute, then put the container in a large Tupperware bowl with a lid, and place the corks around the steaming sulfited water vapor. I put the lid on that bowl, and allow it to "steam" the corks with the so2 gas. I've tried dunking them in sanitizer, but it doesn't seem to really penetrate it, and I've read to not soak the corks.