The Truth About "Food Grade" Sodium Hydroxide: Equivalent to 2 1/2 Gallons of Drano

Jaxon Wildwood

Updated Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at 12:00 AM CDT

The term "food grade" on chemical containers often sparks curiosity and concern. A recently observed image of a chemical bottle with the label "Sodium Hydroxide" has brought this topic to the forefront. The label reads "100% Sodium Hydroxide Food Grade," "Lye, Caustic Soda, Drain Cleaner," and notably, "Equivalent to 2½ gallons Drāno®". This container is designed with bold, black letters and red highlights to emphasize critical information, including the warning "POISON. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN."

Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye or caustic soda, is a heavy alkaline compound used in various applications, from cleaning industrial machinery to food processing. Despite its potent properties, when used correctly, it becomes harmless in the final product. Traditional pretzels, for example, are dipped in a 3 to 4% lye solution before baking, resulting in their signature deep brown color and chewy crust. The lye dissipates during baking, leaving behind a unique flavor.

Food grade sodium hydroxide ensures purity, making it safe for use in food preparation processes without introducing harmful impurities. However, it is crucial to understand that "food grade" does not imply the substance is safe for direct consumption. Sodium hydroxide can cause severe burns and injuries if ingested or improperly handled.

One Reddit user highlighted a harrowing experience of accidentally drinking beer contaminated with sodium hydroxide at a restaurant in Tennessee. The beer tap-cleaning company failed to flush the lines properly, leading to severe throat burns and a subsequent visit to the ICU. This incident underscores the importance of proper handling and awareness of such chemicals.

Chemicals like sodium hydroxide are also used in making hominy grits, corn tortillas, and lutefisk—a traditional Scandinavian dish. While these applications demonstrate the versatility of sodium hydroxide in food processing, they also highlight the need for caution.

In summary, while food grade sodium hydroxide is safe for specific uses in food preparation, it remains a powerful chemical requiring careful handling. Always follow safety guidelines and understand the implications of its use to avoid any harmful incidents.

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View source: Reddit

Top Comments from Reddit

trucorsair

Traditional pretzels are made by dipping (not boiling) the proofed and chilled pretzel dough in a 3 to 4% lye solution before baking. Lye is a corrosive alkali that amplifies the Maillard reacation on the outside of pretzel dough when briefly dipped in a lye bath. This lye bath will give the German style pretzel a deep brown color, shine, a chewy crust that, and a typical “pretzel” flavor. When baked in the oven, the lye dissipates and becomes harmless while imparting that signature pretzel flavor and a beautiful brown crust

mr_travis

A critical ingredient in pretzels

1stLtD***

I drank Sodium Hydroxide by accident at a (redacted) Restaurant in Tennessee. The beer tap-cleaning company didn’t flush the lines and I drank 3 gulps of beer + sodium hydroxide. I thought it was watered down bleach or something, but it started to burn bad and progressively got worse. I jumped behind the bar and started pounding water. It helped, but it was still burning. I went to the bathroom to consider throwing up, but remembered I barf thru my nose and it would hurt worse. My burger came and I thought the roughness would push the substance down (stupid thought while low-key panicking). I asked the bar tender and manager for the company’s name/number, called them, and they told me to seek medical attention immediately. They texted me a MSDS, too. I thought about calling EMS, but there was an ER .25 miles away (again, stupid no matter how close). By the time I got to the ER the acute burning was over with, but I sounded like Batman. I was transported to the larger city’s ICU and had endoscopies done—no major damage to my GI track, but the back of my throat looked like hamburger meat. Smell your beer and give it a small taste of out of a tap, as a PSA. Lawsuit is still ongoing, so I can’t name the parties involved.

picado

Corn is soaked in lye to make hominy grits or corn tortillas.

jibbodahibbo

You should not drink it, but it can be used in the process of creating food to the point where a little bit is okay.

JacobRAllen

Food grade doesn’t mean ‘eat me’. It means it’s so pure that it can be used in any part of preparing food without risk that it will cause contamination by an unknown impurity. Sodium hydroxide is the main ingredient in drain cleaner, but that’s not its only use. You can use it to clean industrial machinery used to pack sausages, you can use it as one ingredient in a massive mixture of ingredients, hell, you could even use it as pipe/drain cleaner directly. Don’t you think the machines that make and transport your sodas and beers need to be cleaned every once in awhile? Would you rather them be cleaned with drano or food grade sodium hydroxide?

AntonChekov1

"Food grade" just means it can be used to clean food-contact surfaces.

kutmulc

Yes, it's food safe. That's not the same as saying it's food.

PatRice695

That is what drain cleaner consists of.

Alewort

How else are you going to make the lutefisk?