Question from Anne

Hi! Does anyone have suggestions for a good alternative for plastic freezer bags? I’ve tried using cellophane bags, but they tear easily. I also use glass containers in the freezer, but they take a lot of room. Would love a recommenation for a nontoxic freezer bag that is durable.

Debra’s Answer

Readers? Any ideas?

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Question from HAH

Hello Debra,

Bromate (Potassium Bromate) is calmly entering our FLOURS and bake goods! What is going on???

Where can we find ‘Organic Unbromated Flour’???

Thank you,

HAH

Debra’s Answer

Actually, potassium bromate has been in flour and baked goods for a long time, and recently there has been LESS potassium bromate in flour and baked goods, though more attention has been given to it, so more people are aware of it.

Potassium bromate (KBrO3) is a bromate of potassium. A bromate is a chemical compound that is formed when ozone and bromide react according to a specific chemical reaction.

Potassium bromate is typically used in flour to strengthen bread dough (bread of all kinds, including rolls, buns, and other bread products) and allow higher rising. It is also used in doughnuts and cakes. It may appear on the label as “potassium bromate” or “bromated flour”, but may also be present in products that don’t have labels, such as deli sandwiches and bakery products purchased unpackaged.

Under the right conditions, potassium bromate is completely used up in the baking bread and none remains in the finished product. If too much is added, or if the bread is not properly, then a residual amount will remain, which can be harmful to health if consumed. In 1992-93 and 1998-99, the FDA tested several dozen baked goods and found that many contained bromate at levels they considered to be unsafe. Yet, the agency still allowed this additive to be used and that continues today.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) considers bromate to be a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans). Bromate was first found to cause tumors in rats in 1982. It has been banned from use in food products in Europe, the United Kingdom, Canada, and most other countries.

Though potassium bromate has not been banned In the United States the FDA has urged bakers to voluntarily stop using it since 1991. In California bromate was declared a carcinogen under Proposition 65, requring that baked goods sold in California would have to bear a cancer warning if they contained more than a certain level of bromate. Rather than label their baked goods as being carcinogenic, most California bakers have switched to bromate-free flour.

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Question from Cat

New carpets were just laid down in my friend’s workplace a month or two ago – I think they are made of nylon. A couple of weeks ago she started feeling ill – nausea, dizziness, sinus congestion, and severe lethargy. Her doctor told her it was a virus, or possibly irritation of childhood ear injury. Could these symptoms be from the carpet? Are there any tests doctors can perform to determine whether patients are having a toxic reaction, or are there tests that can be done on the carpet itself to measure outgassing? Thanks for your responses!

Debra’s Answer

Absolutely it can be the carpet, and I would venture to say it probably is.

There are tests that can be done for toxic chemicals in the human body, but I understand they cost around $15,000.

Anderson Labs can test your carpet sample. They put your sample into a glass chamber and collect the chemicals it releases. Then laboratory mice are given the air from that chamber (containing the pollutants from your item) to breathe and ill effects (on eyes, nose, throat, lungs, and nervous system) from breathing that air are noted. This test does not identify the toxic chemicals, but does determine they are toxic. This kind of test costs about $1000.

Personally, I probably wouldn’t spend the money on testing. I’d take out the carpet, or have your friend go someplace without carpet for a week and see if she feels better. If so, then take out the carpet and spend the money on the replacement.

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Question from Jennifer Lance

The only nonstick cookware in my home are the muffin pans. I want to get rid of these pans, but my children love organic muffins with raspberries from the garden. The only alternative I have found are cast iron; however, the reviews of the Lodge cast iron muffin pans state the muffin size is smaller than normal. Do you know of any other safe muffin pans or cast iron versions that offer regular size muffins?

Debra’s Answer

I don’t know offhand. I have some unknown metal ones that are non-stick, but I’ve had them for years and rarely make muffins.

Readers?

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Question from Lucy H

Debra and/or Readers,

I have a CorningWare Slow Cooker (model SC-60). This is the second slow cooker i have tried. The first had a plastic base that heated up and off-gassed terribly. This one is described as “cool touch” so I thought perhaps the base would not off-gas as much. But it does. The question is, Do you think it is possible to heat it up and let it off-gas in the basement sufficiently for it to be safe the house? My basement has open windows and a cross draft. The base is made from a hard plastic, is it PVC?

Also regarding the “StoneWare insert”, do you think that is safe once it is cleaned?

I love the idea of a slow cooker but wonder if I will have to spring for the more expensive stainless steel model. Any suggestions for a safe version that is not over $100?

thank you

Lucy

Debra’s Answer

I personally don’t have a slow cooker, but I think they are a good idea. So I haven’t looked at them carefully enough to make a recommendation. Readers? What slow cookers do you like?

With regard to the outgassing…it may or may not be PVC. You can call Corning and ask. I don’t know how long it would take to outgas.

My rule of thumb is to always look for the less toxic materials and buy those. So I would buy the stainless steel even if it costs more. In the long run you’ll save money on medical bills.

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Question from Gina

I am snowed in today and had the chance to look over your site more in-depth. Thanks for the section on how you live! I found it exciting and helpful to see that it can be done in a conventional house! I’m especially excited about the wool bedding and the copper cookware. I’m just starting to think about buying a new set and had been considering stainless steel until I read what you said about copper.

My question is about the tin coating on the Ruffoni. I called my father when I read about it and he said that it would oxidize. (“think of what happens to a tin can.”) Since you actually use it, I wondered if you could tell me if that is the case and what you do to prevent/deal with it.

Also, just fyi, I did a search on the Ruffoni cookware and found several sites that have pretty good pricing. Ruffoni’s own site is offering the 10 piece set on sale for 1400 something (normally 1700 something) and I found it at buycoppercookware.com for 1095. That’s a considerable discount. I’m not sure how that compares to Williams Sonoma, but I didn’t see a full cookware set on their site.

Debra’s Answer

Your post was very timely, as I was just about to add a comment to My New Cookware regarding my Ruffoni pots.

Before I purchased this cookware, I read an article which said there were two types of copper pots–a heavier pot for cooking and a lighter weight pot that is mainly used for serving.

Williams-Sonoma does have a full set of Mauviel copper cookware, but not Ruffoni. Mauviel is very heavy, which is why I didn’t buy that one. The Ruffoni is much easier to handle.

Prior to puchasing the Ruffoni, I asked the salesperson about the tin lining. They said it would last about five years and then need to be retinned.

Well…that was not the case. I’ve had my two Ruffoni tin-lined pots five months and already the tin was wearing through to where we could see the copper. Just last week we took the pots back to Williams-Sonoma and they exchanged both pots for new ones.

We learned a few things about these pots. You need to cook only over medium heat, You need to remove the food immediately, so you can’t store food in it in the refrigerator. Once you are done cooking, you actually need to wash the pot immediately because even one piece of vegetable will begin to wear away the tin.

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Question from jal333

Have you heard of Children’s Orchard stores? We pay cash or store value added credits for kids clothes, toys, furniture sizes 0 through 10. We encourage parents to recycle back with us. If clothes are worn we donate them or send them to recycling centers. We work diligently to give back to the community, work with not for profits, elementary schools, PTA’s, OB/GYNs. We are not 100% green, but doing whatever we can. It’s amazing the wonderful items we have that people bring to us for resale.

This is a small, national family-owned franchise and been in business over 30 years.

Debra’s Answer

Sounds like a great way to participate in recycling.

Readers, remember when we recycle by using an already existing item again, it saves even more resources than when we recycle by coverting the product material to a new product. It’s always a good idea to use an existing item through to the end of it’s useful life before sending it’s material back into the system.

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Question from kt

Hi,

Does anyone know of a source of upholsterers that work with natural or organic stuffing and fabric? I have several old pieces I’d like to get redone, but not with the toxic materials normally available.

Thanks!

kt

Debra’s Answer

I was going to suggest trying one of the custom furniture makers on Debra’s List, however, shipping is expensive and you would need to ship your items there and back.

I’ve had good success with finding local upholsterers who will recover according to my specifications. First, I make sure there is no smoking in the workroom and no pesticide spraying (visit to make sure). Then I get the materials myself and provide them. Ask them for an estimate for “COG”, which is customer’s-own-goods.

About ten years ago I had a sofa and wing chair reupholstered. I chose a 100% linen fabric for one and 100% cotton for the other. Neither fabric had any finishes, but I prewashed both. And I got wool batting for the stuffing.

Both pieces turned out beautifully and still look like new.

I found this upholsterer by asking people I knew. I asked for someone who did good work. And I found just the right person.

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Question from Mary

I have been reading you for years (bought your book, and read Natural Home mag). I stumbled on your web site today while searching unsuccessfully for info on these questions. Perhaps you would find them interesting enough to answer?

I have a wonderful old cast iron clawfoot tub bought from a salvage yard. Much of the original smooth porcelain finish is worn away, and it’s become quite stained. I can’t afford the commercial refinisher (besides, how “green” is that process?). There is a “porcelain restoration kit” I’ve seen at a hardware store and on web, but it looks really toxic, and the rebonding agent doesn’t look all that durable. Since I have a graywater system that recycles used water to my garden, I’m very picky about what goes down the drain. I’ve tried hydrogen peroxide to no avail. Any suggestions to nontoxically clean and/or refinish the surface?

Similarly, I rescued from a house remodel an old kitchen stove from the 40s, very cute. The top porcelain is quite stained from 60 years of cooking. Basic baking soda hasn’t touched the deep stains. Any nontoxic way to clean this, and keep it from re-staining?

Debra’s Answer

Good questions! Readers?

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Yesterday I found a wonderful olive oil that tastes very much like butter. This is the natural flavor of the oil–there are no flavorings added of any kind. I made my scrambled eggs with it this morning and they tasted even better than with butter!

Though it’s not organically grown, I thought I’d let you know about it for all of you who love the taste of butter but would rather eat a plant-based oil.

It’s available in a store here in Florida called Cork and Olive. Currently their website isn’t set up for online ordering (www.corkandolive.com) and the chain of stores is only in Florida, but if you’d like to order some, you can email Regina at r.dodd@corkandolive.com. Tell her you read it in my blog and ask for Alia d’Morocco.