Limes limes, the flammable fruit!

Posted 6 years ago

I always end up pleasantly surprised when I research a new course topic, because I always stumble across little golden nuggets of loosely-related trivia, and there’s nothing I like more than learning something new!

Especially if it’s a bit weird.

In preparation for an update on one of our best sellers, I began to look into what’s changed in the world of CoSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health). I came across some interesting stuff and was quickly reminded that a hazardous substance doesn’t always come with a hazard symbol!

So hold onto your hats, because these may just blow your mind (if they don’t, at least pretend for my sake).

Non-Stick Cookware is a sly son of a…

I know. It’s not something I had even considered a possibility, but certain non-stick cookware – such as frying pans and saucepans – are often made using substances that release perfluoroalkyl acid (PFOA) when they are on a high heat for anywhere between 2 and 6 minutes upwards. PFOA is a carcinogenic chemical. Even though cookware brands ensure us that their cookware is safe – and I’m not here to argue – I thought this was worth bringing to your attention.

To avoid the chance of toxic gases being released while you create magic in the kitchen, you can use cookware made from ceramics, stoneware, stainless steel or glass. But if you’re keen for more non-stick options, you can try out some eco-friendly cookware. See this blog for some options.

Erm, why did the plain flour just explode?

And the coffee and the creamer and the black pepper and the chilli flakes too?!

Crazy. When flour, or anything dry like instant coffee granules, coffee creamer, or dry powdered foods are compact or in a pile, they’re not so scary. But if you were to sweep any of these into the air as a dust they mix with the oxygen – and if you were to add a flame to this mix you’d find these things are INCREDIBLY flammable and even explosive. Don’t underestimate the damage this can cause.

The dust on that photo frame is made from WHAT?

We have roughly 1.6 trillion skin cells and we shed about 40,000 dead skin cells every minute. So it’s not surprising (but horrifying nonetheless) to know that the majority of the dust in our house is compiled of human skin cells; as Ed Grabianowski humorously puts it, “in other words, your house is filled with former bits of yourself.”

Limes, limes, the flammable fruit!

If you were to freshly peel a citrus fruit such as an orange, grapefruit, lemon or lime, and you squeeze the peel over a flame… it will react! Most of the peel is made up of oil that contains a chemical called D-limonene and it’s very flammable. When it comes into contact with the flame, the oil ignites!

Limonene is actually used as a solvent in a variety of household cleaning products – the likes of which are covered by the CoSHH regulations – and these have product labels that warn you of the dangers associated with the substance.

CoSHH Training

Version 2 of our Online CoSHH Training course is now live! It gives you all of the necessary information in a little less time, with a lot of new and improved graphics, topped with cherry-on-the-cake Additional Resources for those of you who like a flexible and comprehensive training course.

This post is a little bit of fun, but please stay safe everyone. Don’t try and set your fruit on fire.

Try the course for free today!