# Are LHBS fruit strainer bags special food grade?



## MarkTX (Jul 19, 2015)

I needed nylon bags for a 8 gallon batch of peach banana wine. Stopped in Lowes & for $7 bought a 2 pack of bluehawk brand nylon paint strainer bags that fit perfectly in 5 gallon primary buckets with enough extra length to go over the top lip or tie in a knot. 

Today I pitched the yeast and started pondering that my primary buckets are clearly labelled as food grade but no clue about these nylon strainer bags. 

Are these "disposable nylon paint strainer bags" going to have a negative effect on my 24 pounds of peaches turning into award winning wine?

Are the more expensive bags sold by the LHBS "special for winemakers" to resist the acids & alcohol? Or are they just a high mark up item that is made at the same plastics factory as my paint strainer bags? 

Does anyone have knowledge on this issue?

Thanks - Mark


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## cmason1957 (Jul 19, 2015)

Those paint strainer bags are fine to use. Many of us use and recommend them all the time.


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## Winenoob66 (Jul 19, 2015)

I not only use the paint strainer bags but I also clean them out real good and re-sanitize them and reuse them.


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## jumby (Jul 20, 2015)

I use neutral colored ladies nylon stocking. I cut the legs off and pack them with fruit.


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## Boatboy24 (Jul 20, 2015)

I use the Blue Hawk bags as well. Hasn't killed me yet.


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## Runningwolf (Jul 20, 2015)

MarkTX said:


> Are these "disposable nylon paint strainer bags" going to have a negative effect on my 24 pounds of peaches turning into award winning wine?
> 
> Are the more expensive bags sold by the LHBS "special for winemakers" to resist the acids & alcohol? Or are they just a high mark up item that is made at the same plastics factory as my paint strainer bags?
> 
> ...



The more expensive LHBS bags are made for straining food. They are not the same material used for straining paint. *Use at your own risk!!* For my personal use, I use the paint strainer bags.


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## wineforfun (Jul 20, 2015)

Paint strainer bags here too.
Menards 3pk. for $3.96.


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## MarkTX (Jul 20, 2015)

Runningwolf said:


> The more expensive LHBS bags are made for straining food. They are not the same material used for straining paint. *Use at your own risk!!* For my personal use, I use the paint strainer bags.




I agree that food grade plastics are somehow "safer" for us. I have googled this topic now that I asked it on this forum & really cannot find unbiased or good research. There are many conflicting articles from people who write like they know what they are talking about. 

What I have concluded is that nobody really knows what plastic leaching will occur due to the acids & alcohol in wine making. 

Then there is the greed factor on the internet. Why sell a bag for $3 when you can sell it for $6 as a homebrew bag? There is no requirement or even a guideline that I can find that states plastic winemaking containers are required to be FDA food grade. Who besides the original manufacturer knows if the nylon bag material is made from FDA food safe plastic? The Amazon supplier just gets a box of bags & sell them individually. 

There is no certification tag or sticker on a nylon mesh bag. Side note -
The Lowes 5 gallon primary bucket I use has a big sticker stating it is food grade BPA free.

I went to two big internet winemaking sites MoreWine and Midwest. Both sold nylon bags for grapes / fruit in wine. Nowhere in the product descriptions does it mention FDA food grade or BPA free so on both sites I opened the chat dialog and asked. Both had quick replies that said ALL of the nylon bags they sell are FDA food grade & BPA free. 

After all this; my plan is to buy some bags next time I order from one of these sites. Until then I will just use the ones I have to continue making my peach / banana wine which is now beginning active fermentation.


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## MarkTX (Jul 20, 2015)

Boatboy24 said:


> I use the Blue Hawk bags as well. Hasn't killed me yet.



Funny. Hasn't killed you yet? That's encouraging. 

Hi, would you like a bottle of my homemade wine? It hasn't killed anyone yet... 


Perhaps worse than death, the BPA leached out of plastics is suppose to cause ED and Low T.


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## Buehler91 (Jul 20, 2015)

So does age..lol 
Not that I'd know anything about those things


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## wineforfun (Jul 20, 2015)

MarkTX said:


> the BPA leached out of plastics is suppose to cause ED and Low T.



They have pills for that so don't worry.


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