The Armourer Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Recently I watched a video on a man making charcoal, and when he was handling the finished product mentioned that he should have been wearing gloves as the charcoal is carcinogenic? It was pine lump charcoal. I was under the strong impression that charcoal was not a carcinogen, and, if it was, I don't think wearing leather gloves would protect you much. I am aware that eating overcooked food cooked with manufactured briquettes could be carcinogenic due to the added ingredients, but am extremely doubtful of this mans statement in the video. Could anybody offer some insight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I'm not any kind of expert but from what I've read and understand charcoal is essentially carbon. It's what's left after everything else has burn out of the wood. If carbon was a carcinogenic we would all be sick all the time since we are carbon based. Can you tell us where you found the video? I'd be interested in seeing it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I think every substance known ( and unknown) to man is considered a carcinogen by the State of California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Armourer Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dNygH_09CwQAround 6:30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Armourer Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 I think every substance known ( and unknown) to man is considered a carcinogen by the State of California.I even saw the sign on a Mcdonalds in California: this building contains chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and other reproductive harm, yadda yadda yadda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 This is why water is filterd threw it and it is grount up and pumped into your stomach to absorb toxins...but yes, some of the volitiles that may not be compleatly converted to carbon may be carsinegenic, so dont lick the charcoal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) dont lick the charcoal. I've had hardwood lump in my mouth before and it wasn't very tasty lol. Since then I've made sure to break it differently.Graeson, if you look at the video comments they're havin a similar discussion there about the 'carcinogenic' nature of charcoal. Edited July 18, 2015 by M Cochran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 If I might say, in the sceam of things, charcoal (and even coal) are relitivly begnighn compared to what is put in to our food and water. Did you know that floride and clorine water treatments are also known carsegines? Not to mention contaminents, pestiside residues etc. one is more in danger of serius mental ilnes from woring about everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Armourer Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 That's what I was thinking, just being extra sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpearson Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 10.1.3. Fixed carbon contentThe fixed carbon content of charcoal ranges from a low of about 50% to a high or around 95%. Thus charcoal consists mainly of carbon. The carbon content is usually estimated as a "difference"; that is to say, all the other constituents are deducted from 100 as percentages and the remainder is assumed to be the % of "pure" or "fixed" carbon. The fixed carbon content is the most important constituent in metallurgy since it is the fixed carbon which is responsible for reducing the iron oxides of the iron ore to produce metal. But the industrial user must strike a balance between the friable nature of high fixed carbon charcoal and the greater strength of charcoal with a lower fixed carbon and higher volatile matter content to obtain optimum blast furnace operation. but yes, some of the volitiles that may not be compleatly converted to carbon may be carsinegenic, so dont lick the charcoal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Somthing like that, lol. In the case of cooking charcoal the volitiles contribute to the "smoke flavor" also note that denser woods also contain more silica than lighter woods. It gives many plants a more "woody" structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) I saw a program on Food Network recently that had one of the "famous" chefs cooking a steak directly on WOOD charcoal (not briquettes), then instructing you to not worry if the charcoal sticks to it because of the final step, when you remove the steak from the charcoal, brush off the bigger pieces but purposely leave the smaller ones on, then wrap the whole thing in foil and wait for 10 minutes for it to finish cooking AND to disintegrate the charcoal pieces into a "lovely sauce" for the steak. Looked delish but the part about eating the charcoal-turned-"sauce" gave me a moment's pause, though I'm not sure why. Edited July 20, 2015 by SpankySmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Compared to the dangers of driving my car to work every day; most other dangers are down a couple of orders of magnitude. Smoke is a lot more toxic than charcoal so try to get the fully charred charcoal rather than the "flavourful stuff". I shudder to think what I'm ingesting when I cook lamb over a rosemary wood fire; hasn't stopped me yet though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Iv'e cooked steak, chiken and damper directly on the coals. I'm still here, snas sanity ;-) my daughters ex boyfriend just thaught he was the grill master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 When testing your charcoal out of the retort, you can bite it if you taste nothing you got good charcoal or biochar(same stuff just see more $ ) good charcoal absorbs 'everything' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironwolfforgeca Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 THE only Carcinogen IS California ! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarry Dog Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Agreed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Uh huh, charcoal carcinogens, sort of up there with the other fads isn't it? Gluten being the big one right now, we don't want to eat a higher food value food if something like 3 in 10,000 are allergic do we? Everywhere I go I meet people who are self diagnosing using "clinically" proven or shown results as proofs. Anyone can have or be a "clinic" just get some people together, make up some process and you can tell people it's "clinically shown" or "proven" without actually committing fraud.If charcoal were carcinogenic the CDC, AMA and California Board of Health would make Kingsford and all the others label their packaging. Briquettes use various polymers to let them be pressed into briquettes, some use powdered coal, some use wood pulp, some milk glue like "Elmer's." If commercial briquettes don't contain carcinogens in reportable quantities what's the chances of unadulterated lump charcoal does? Sure, don't make charcoal our of lumber painted with lead paint, heck ANY paint. Pealing the bark is a good idea especially birch to avoid creosote when coaling.Chicken Little Pah. Unless chunks of sky start hitting the ground . . . Well, okay stay out of the smoke, ANY smoke.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Just a bit of "old common sense " if it were thought to be carcinogenic would they allow it in your water filters(like Brita) and in most kitchen extract hoods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 well they used to prosecute the makers of radium water if they had less than the stated amount in their water.I once read an article in Smithsonian I believe about a fellow who really believed in the stuff and suffered a gruesome end after drinking large amounts over a prolonged time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 well, as activated charcoal filters beer, water and other things we injest, and charred oak flavers fine Burbon wisky I think its sfe enugh to forge and cook with the stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WL smith Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Besides all the above mankind has been eating from charcoal fires since fire making evolved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easilyconfused Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 He will be referring to a media scare a few years ago about charred meat being possibly carcinogenic. Likely got twisted around like these things do before it got back to him. Charcoal is not considered carcinogenic according to anything I've read in my veterinary texts. Any smoke is carcinogenic because it is a mucosal irritant and any irritant that leads to increased cell turnover can cause an increased risk of cancer because every cell replication could have a DNA mutation. Basically a cell not replicating is less likely to have it's DNA damaged and it passed on to other cells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 well, as activated charcoal filters beer, water and other things we injest, and charred oak flavers fine Burbon wisky I think its sfe enugh to forge and cook with the stuffGood enough for Beer and Whiskey, good enough for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 And people wonder why I would rather be treated by my vet than my MD, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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