ACETONE

[trucker5774]

This is on behalf of a wine maker. A number of plastic "barrels" were bought on the understanding they were food grade. They resemble the cube style camping water containers. They were said to have originally contained flavourings for vodka alco pops. They had a smell of acetone/pear drops. They were sanitised and rinsed by whatever the friends normal method is and seemed to have retained no residual smell. Since then 40 litres of wine have been racked into them and taken on the original smell/taste of pear drops.

Any ideas
A. What is the smell from

B. How to get rid of it

C. How to rescue the wine

Thinking caps on folks!

[dcq1974]

Hi
I work in the flavour industry and if the containers originally had concentrated flavours in them, I very much doubt that you will get rid of the odour completely

The tradtional pear drop aroma is normally quoted as Isoamyl acetate (3-methyl-1-butyl acetate) and the alco pop flavour types are usually very strong in concentration and full of a range of chemicals that will leach into the plastic and stay there forever!

I have an old 50 litre container here from the flavour factory that was going to be used as a 10 gallon fermenter. It only ever had salt stored in it but hell does it stink!!! Again fruit esters etc. I've been smelling that "industry" smell for 20 years and it just gets absorbed into everything! Most of my chemistry books stink! It's not a nasty smell, just confectionary like and fruity!!!

You could try a long steep of the containers in Soda Crystals and Bleach etc but from experience, it may be easier to throw them and start again

Sorry I can't be of any further help

[trucker5774]

I suggested the same treatment..............pretty standard as I would do. That's a great response (although not what they will want to hear), but if that is your experience in that environment, then I would say that is a pretty decisive answer