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Hi,

I am having trouble locating distilled water on the high street in the UK. I can find it in car shops as I know its a component in cars, but I am unsure if its safe for use in food. Anyone had experience with this?

Why do you need distilled water?

Jim

captain wassname wrote:Why do you need distilled water?

Jim

It is recommended (most packages that I have used have it in the instructions) as a liquid medium when mixing a starter culture

I use purified water from the chemists for that.

HTH

Phil

I don't know about over there, but my local ice company that supplies grocery stores here filters their water through a 3-micron screen before freezing into ice. I got curious when I needed ice to chill must for my brewing and spent some time on the phone with the chemists. I don't see why (assuming your ice is made to the same standard) you can't buy ice and melt it and have it be just as pure.

wheels wrote:I use purified water from the chemists for that.

HTH

Phil

Would not that be the same ??

or would that be petrified water

BriCan wrote:

wheels wrote:I use purified water from the chemists for that.

HTH

Phil

Would not that be the same ??

or would that be petrified water

He says not! It seems to me that "it's the same meat but with different gravy" though!

Phil

damienhogan wrote:distilled water on the high street in the UK. I can find it in car shops,

Are you sure ? Last time I looked a while ago the car shops sold deionised water for battery top-up, not the same thing. May contain hydrochloric acid residue and other contaminants
I wouldnt use it in food.
How much do you need (and for what) it is easily produced at home.
Glass distilled is needed for lab work, but stainless kettles are ok for food use.

DiyBacon wrote:

damienhogan wrote:distilled water on the high street in the UK. I can find it in car shops,

Are you sure ? Last time I looked a while ago the car shops sold deionised water for battery top-up, not the same thing. May contain hydrochloric acid residue and other contaminants
I wouldnt use it in food.
How much do you need (and for what) it is easily produced at home.
Glass distilled is needed for lab work, but stainless kettles are ok for food use.

It says in the recipe that I need 150ml.

Distilled water is sometimes recommended for making up various starter cultures for brewing,baking etc as the chlorine in tap water can be deleterious before the organisms get going.
Distilled water is overkill though,cooled,previously boiled water will serve.

If I remember correctly, a couple aquaponic sources recommend filling a clean bucket with tap water and letting it sit overnight to let any municipal chlorination dissipate before adding to live fish tanks. Would that work as well for culturing?

Edit: For that matter, I use bottled water for brewing and haven't had any weird organisms show up there, either.

I use Isklar bottled mineral water to maintain my sourdough starters as it has very low levels of chlorination. Otherwise, visit your local independent chemist (pharmacy) who should be able to supply suitable purified water.

Britta water filter? Would that work ok?

I use cooled boiled water for both brewing and curing starters without an issue, common practice when making yeast starters.