Lye (Alkalive Substance)
Canister of solid dry lye.
Contents [hide] * 1 Food uses * 2 Safety * 2.1 Hazardous reactions * 2.2 Protection * 2.3 Storage * 3 Soap Making * 4 Notes * 5 References| -------------------------------------------------
[edit]Food uses
Lye is used to cure many types of food, such as lutefisk, green olives, canned mandarin oranges, hominy, lye rolls, century eggs, and pretzels. It is also used as a tenderizer in the crust of baked Cantonese moon cakes, and in lye-water "zongzi" (glutenous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves), in chewy southern Chinese noodles popular in Hong Kong and southern China, and in Japanese ramen. In the United States, food-grade lye must meet the requirements outlined in the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC),[2] as prescribed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).[3] Lower grades of lye are commonly used as drain openers and oven cleaners and should not be used for food preparation.[3] -------------------------------------------------
[edit]Safety
Lye is a strong alkali, producing highly basic solutions. Both wet lye and dry lye solutions are highly caustic and may cause chemical burns, permanent injury or scarring, and blindness. Lye may be harmful or fatal if swallowed. [edit]Hazardous reactions
This image shows the effects of lye upon human skin. Chemical burns of this type can be extremely...
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