where to find BORAX

geordie_joe

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

What is "borax substitute" please

Penny. x

I wondered that too. I dug around but can't find what it is.

I the (recent) past I have gone on about Borax not being harmful, unless you eat large amounts of it. Naively thinking "who would eat Borax?"

Since then I have learned that it is used as a food preservative in some countries, although banned in others, so we could actually be eating it without knowing. I think noodles, meatballs and rice were the main foods it could be in.

Unfortunately, the countries that have banned it as a preservative have replaced it with large quantities of salt, which could be just as bad.

Somewhere, somebody said "Borax might be harmful as a food preservative, let's ban it and use more salt instead"

Sometimes you just can't win!

PS. For those interested, I believe Borax has the E number E285, and any web sites that state borax is used on, not in foods, are referring to food produced in this country, Europe and the USA. It may be added to foods produced in other countries.

Reverbe

Natty68 wrote: »

Our Wilkinsons has stopped doing Borax and Bicarb of Soda, wish I had known then I could have stocked up..:mad:

Ours never did it:( I even looked at chemists and a HUGE Sainsburys today. nothing.

bumble-bee_3

Natty68 wrote: »

Our Wilkinsons has stopped doing Borax and Bicarb of Soda, wish I had known then I could have stocked up..:mad:

Ours too, I noticed the prices had shot up a few weeks ago to £1.49 and now they have stopped selling it.

Swan_2

geordie_joe wrote: »

Since then I have learned that it is used as a food preservative in some countries, although banned in others, so we could actually be eating it without knowing. I think noodles, meatballs and rice were the main foods it could be in.

that might explain why I've been getting it from one of the food aisles in my Chinese supermarket

I wonder if it'll disappear from their shelves too?

daska

Borax is used as a flux by silversmiths - that might be a way of getting hold of it...

anguk

On Wednesday my local Tesco had their own "naturally" borax down to half price and a discontinued ticket underneath. I don't know if it's being phased out in preparation for the new borax "subsitute" or if the store is just going to stop selling it.

squeakyclean226

:money:

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

What is "borax substitute" please

Penny. x

I think the Borax substitute will be made up fo sodium sesquicarbonate, and will have all the same properties as normal borax so you can use it for the same purposes! But if you are looking for normal borax i know boots have a large stock whihc they will be selling up until june.

Penelope_Penguin

squeakyclean226 wrote: »

I think the Borax substitute will be made up fo sodium sesquicarbonate

It'll be no good for making silly putty, then :rolleyes:

Penny. x

squeakyclean226

I've just seen Dri-Pak have put up loads of pack of Borax for sale on their website, they must be getting rid of it all before they have to switch to Borax Substitute. So anyone who wants to make sily putty should stock up! heheh! xx x

elsien

So has anyone found another high street source of borax/borax substitute yet? None in Wilko's or any of the supermarkets and I don't want to pay delivery charges to order on line ( I don't usually buy enough to get the free delivery.)