> On Mon, 26 Aug 1996, Tim Townsend wrote:
>
> > Jim Wood wrote:
> > >
> > > I have recently obtained an old galvanised steel extractor and
> > > settling tank. The steel is showing through the galvanising in
> > > the extractor. Is there some sort of food-grade coating that I
> > > could paint on .... that obviously would not flavour or poison
> > > the honey.
 
FWIW, it probably wouldn't hurt at all to use the equipment the way
it is if you clean it well before, and do not leave honey in it for
mor e than a day or two.  Even if you ignored the foregoing, you
probably would never notice.
 
A great deal -- likely the vast majority -- of commercial  honey in
the world today, and in the past, makes contact with either
galvanized or bare iron without any harm.
 
AFAIK, iron istotally harmless, but does have a taste, and can
impart colour if sufficient amounts are absorbed into the honey.
 
Don't let's kid ourselves: the drums in use throughout the world may
be *substantially* free of rust and bare spots, but many (most) allow
iron to contact honey, if only in the cracks at the bottom.
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Internet:[log in to unmask] & [log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, & Art <http://www.internode.net/~allend/>