Calcium hydroxide is an odorless white powder. It’s utilized in industrial settings, corresponding to sewage therapy, paper manufacturing, building, and meals processing. It additionally has medical and dental makes use of. For instance, root canal fillings usually comprise calcium hydroxide.
Calcium hydroxide has a number of varieties and names, together with:
Meals-grade lime is the type of calcium hydroxide utilized in meals.
Pickling and calcium hydroxide
Pickling lime is usually used through the pickling course of to offer pickles an additional crunch. It’s a type of food-grade calcium hydroxide. Conventional canning recipes often recommend soaking freshly sliced cucumbers or different greens in pickling lime for 10 to 24 hours earlier than canning them. Throughout this step, the calcium in pickling lime binds to pectin, making it firmer.
As we speak, many recipes advocate avoiding pickling lime. It is because pickling lime has been linked to botulism. Botulism is a uncommon however critical sickness that may result in paralysis. Whereas only some circumstances have been reported, many really feel the chance isn’t price it.
Quite a lot of recipes provide alternate options to maintain your pickles crunchy. These embody soaking greens in ice water for 4 to 5 hours earlier than pickling or utilizing pickling salt.
If you happen to nonetheless wish to use pickling lime for canning, simply be sure you use food-grade calcium hydroxide. Rigorously comply with the producer’s directions. Be sure you additionally comply with the security suggestions talked about later.
How is calcium hydroxide utilized in different meals?
Listed below are a number of the different methods calcium hydroxide is utilized in meals:
Corn merchandise
Folks in Central America have been utilizing calcium hydroxide to course of corn for hundreds of years. They soak uncooked kernels in water combined with calcium hydroxide. This course of makes it simpler to course of corn into flour. It additionally releases necessary vitamins from the corn, corresponding to niacin.
As we speak, most merchandise made with corn flour (masa harina) — corresponding to tortillas, sopes, or tamales — comprise calcium hydroxide.
Sugar
Calcium hydroxide can also be used to course of sure sugars. For instance, sugar cane and sugar beets are generally ready utilizing a refining course of referred to as carbonatation. Throughout carbonatation, an untreated sugar answer is combined with calcium hydroxide. This course of removes impurities and improves the soundness of the product.
Fortified fruit juice
Fruit juices are generally fortified with calcium for added dietary worth. There are lots of methods to do that. Including calcium hydroxide is only one of them.
Essential security info
If you wish to use pickling lime for house canning, be sure you totally rinse it off greens earlier than canning them to keep away from any botulism dangers.
Canned pickles are suitable for eating as a result of they’re soaked in an acidic liquid, usually vinegar, and acid kills micro organism. Nonetheless, pickling lime is alkaline. This implies it neutralizes acids. If pickling lime is left on greens, the acid may not be robust sufficient to kill micro organism.
You possibly can keep away from this by totally rinsing pickles earlier than combining them with an acidic liquid for canning.
Are there any dangers related to it?
Meals-grade calcium hydroxide is mostly protected. Nonetheless, for those who work with industrial-grade calcium hydroxide, ingesting it may end up in calcium hydroxide poisoning. This may result in extreme damage or loss of life.
Some indicators and signs of calcium hydroxide poisoning embody:
Swallowing industry-grade calcium hydroxide is a medical emergency that requires speedy therapy. If you happen to suspect you’ve ingested industry-grade calcium hydroxide, name your native poison management quantity for recommendation.
The underside line – “calcium hydrate”
Calcium hydroxide has many makes use of throughout totally different industries, together with meals manufacturing. It’s additionally generally used within the type of pickling lime for house canning.
Whereas it will probably make your pickles further crunchy, it additionally neutralizes acidic pickling juices. This reduces their antibacterial properties.
With out acid robust sufficient to kill micro organism, canned pickles could cause botulism. Scale back your threat by totally rinsing pickling lime off your pickles earlier than canning them.