Is the E.G.G. really safe?

I have seen several items on the net discussing the safety of the E.G.G.. Part of the effectiveness of the E.G.G. is the fact that the ethylene is being reacted out of existence, rather than just being “adhered” to the surface of the zeolite. This reaction is with the potassium permanganate (KMnO4) that is bonded to the surface of the zeolite. The ionic charge on the zeolite attracts the ethylene to the surface then the potassium permanganate reacts with it.

By itself, potassium permanganate is a strong oxidizer and has the potential to be harmful if handled improperly. It has been pointed out that the MSDS for potassium permanganate discusses the hazards, whereas the MSDS for the E.G.G. does not.* The reason for that is the form which the potassium permanganate is in. In the E.G.G. the KMnO4 is not available for reacting with skin, eyes, lungs, etc. because it is bound up in the zeolite. The beauty of zeolite is that it has a massive internal surface area. The amount of surface area of zeolite that you can see or touch is a minuscule percentage of the total surface area of the pellet. The patented process by which the KMnO4 is bonded to the surface of the zeolites gets it onto the entire surface area, not just the visible surface area. Since the potassium permanganate is bonded to the zeolite surface and is no longer mobile, and the amount that can be contacted physically is so small it is a pretty innocuous substance.

Since ethylene is a gas, it can be drawn into the interior surfaces of the zeolite for its final disposal. The key difference is that the ethylene moves to the potassium permanganate and the potassium permanganate can not move to you.

Further confirmation of the safety of the E.G.G. is inherent in its listing by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) as safe for use in the production of organic products. If there were any danger of contaminating produce, you can bet that they would not allow its use in organic processing.

*Although MSDSs are required for industrial handling – i.e. the workers who handle the material during its production and shipping – and may contain little information of value for consumers, we have a link on the website for the E.G.G.s MSDS.

The E.G.G. loves Le Creuset

I came across an interesting conversation on the Community.QVC.com board about Le Creuset cookware. We have used Le Creuset for many years and had never thought of this. Clearly chickenbutt understands how to use the E.G.G and is using to great advantage in her Le Creuset when it is not in use. I wish I had thought of this.

chickenbutt Posts: 11,801 Registered: 1/16/06

(4 of 23) Re: Le Creuset Oval Doufeu Apr 4, 2008 4:47 PM Report Abuse

You know what else? I am one of those ‘always thinking’ type people and since I like to have some of my Le Creuset pots out, so I can look at them inbetween uses, it occurred to me one day that they would be perfect for perishable food storage. So, I usually have my tomatoes and avocadoes in one, with one of those E.G.G. things. The cast iron is so insulated that, besides staying hot when cooking (I can take a dish out of the oven and over an hour later it is still piping hot!), when you are not cooking it stays really cool in there. I also have another one that I keep other things like the bird’s banana, or a small Lock & Lock with butter in it… Works really great! I have 4 of those E.G.G. thingies, so I can have one in each drawer in the refrigerator and a couple more to use outside the refrigerator. Using them inside the cast iron pots is perfect because you can get rid of the plastic produce bags too, plus keep the food in small, cool environments. Yeah, that 13qt probably weighs a zillion pounds, but it would allow me to get rid of all my large stainless steel stock pots. I just so prefer cooking in the French cast iron. (hehe..I almost typed ‘cash’ instead of ‘cast’…seems appropriate!) I love buying stuff that will last forever and then I don’t have to worry about buying that stuff anymore. Very few things are really THAT classic that you won’t get tired of them, or wear them out, but LC really IS one of those things. – ————- “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Calypso Posts: 4 Registered: 12/25/05

(9 of 23) Re: Le Creuset Oval Doufeu Apr 6, 2008 12:00 PM Report Abuse

“Works really great! I have 4 of those E.G.G. thingies, so I can have one in each drawer in the refrigerator and a couple more to use outside the refrigerator. Using them inside the cast iron pots is perfect because you can get rid of the plastic produce bags too, plus keep the food in small, cool environments.” Pardon my ignorance, but what is an E.G.G. thingy? Whatever it is, it sounds great! Thanks for your help!

chickenbutt Posts: 11,801 Registered: 1/16/06

(10 of 23) Re: Le Creuset Oval Doufeu Apr 6, 2008 2:07 PM Report Abuse

Hi Calypso (love your name!) – The E.G.G. is one of those things with the packets of stuff in them that you put with your produce items to keep them fresh longer. Lori Greiner used to have them here at QVC, but I got mine directly from the vendor HERE because I wanted red ones and hers were only in blue. I just did a search here and was surprised not to find them…I guess they dumped them in lieu of all the more expensive products (the bags and plastic storage containers) with the same stuff. Anyway, I like them and I think they help IF you follow a few rules – Make sure the produce is completely DRY (this applies to any of these produce-saving type products) and in a small enclosed place. I just had some strawberries that were in one of my refrigerator crisper drawers for TEN DAYS before I cleaned and cut them up. They were just like new! You just have the packet inside the EGG thingy and place it with the produce. Each packet is good for 3 months. I also buy a green banana every couple of weeks for the bird (takes that long for him to go through one banana!) and I just wash & dry it, and keep it in a Lock & Lock container with an E.G.G. – it lasts perfectly fine for a couple of weeks. I keep at least one of them in each crisper drawer (I keep fruits in one drawer and veg in the other). I close the drawer vent so that it creates a basically closed environment and let the E.G.G. do its work. As I think I mentioned the other day, I keep another E.G.G. with my tomatoes that I store inside one of my LC French Ovens that sits atop my cutting board. Stays so nice and cool in there! And you don’t want to refrigerate your tomatoes, a I’m sure you already know. HTH! – ————- “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posts: 4

Registered: 12/25/05

(13 of 23)

Re: Le Creuset Oval Doufeu

Apr 6, 2008 11:07 PM

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Hi chickenbutt (love your name too!) – thanks so much for the E.G.G. website and for all the great tips. I love the idea of keeping my LC pots out – pretty to look at, and now thanks to you - usefull!

…and one more plus – less heavy lifting!

chickenbuttPosts: 11,801 Registered: 1/16/06	(14 of 23) Re: Le Creuset Oval Doufeu Apr 6, 2008 11:15 PM Report Abuse
	Hey Calypso! I hear John Denver singing whenever I see your name.Anyway, glad to help. I just love helpful hints. I’m full of ‘em. People used to tell me that I should write a book of them. Well, I’m sure that’s already been done! I might even get another paid of the E.G.G.s because it seems like sometimes I need another couple. They do help, just as long as you put your produce away nice and dry. A lot of stuff I don’t even clean until time to use them. That way I know that there isn’t any water trapped in there. When I come home from the grocery store I always lay all the product out on the counter until it is dry. I hate those spraying things in the grocery store in the produce section. Seems like they would know that the water makes the produce rot faster, but I guess they think it makes more sense to have the produce look more appealing by spraying it down. Who knows!