What's it made of?
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What's it made of?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_smoke
http://www.slashfood.com/2009/06/23/liquid-smoke-what-is-it/
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Liquid-Smoke
That will keep you busy, heehee.
Safety
While smoke condensates such as tar and ash are removed from the solution during production[5], the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is investigating the safety of liquid smoke as a food flavoring.[6] One of the smoke flavorings being assessed, named Primary Product FF-B, raised concern. The EFSA Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids, and materials in contact with food (AFC) concluded that Primary Product FF-B can be regarded as weakly genotoxic in vivo (i.e. animal testing has shown it can damage DNA, the genetic material in cells). The Panel, therefore, could not establish its safety in use when added to food. However, no comparison was made against traditional smoked goods on the market.[7] Primary Product AM 1 was described as potentially toxic to humans by the EFSA on 8 January 2010.[8]
In a study by Guillén, Sopelana, and Partearroyo [9], it was discovered that different concentrations of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were present in different liquid smoke flavourings depending on the type of tree used to produce the liquid smoke. [9] In general, the concentration of PAHs found in the liquid smoke samples decreases from: poplar, vine shoot, oak, cherry tree and beech woods. [9]
It should be noted that liquid smoke produced with Poplar wood produced the greatest amount of carcinogenic PAHs at 0.78 íg/kg), however this is a small amount. [9] The only PAH with an acceptable limit of 10 íg/kg, fixed by FAO/WHO, is benzo[a]pyrene, because it is highly carcinogenic. This was also found to be present in Poplar and Beech liquid smoke, however, the concentrations are well below the acceptable limit. [9]
The researchers also discovered that, independent of wood type, the concentration of carcinogenic PAHs were the lowest when the temperature used during the production of the liquid smoke was 530-559°C. [9]This temperature range did not compromise the quality of the liquid smoke produced and is comparable to a previous research study that suggested 400-600°C to be the optimal temperature range for wood pyrolysis. [9]
As far as using it? RV purists - absolutely not. High raw - maybe. Maybe not. There was quite a debate on this at one time. While I do not mind using flavor extracts occasionally, I do try to not become dependent on them. I am certainly not an rv purist. Eating something that comes out of my bbq chimney??? Seems counterproductive to rv lifestyle. It is absolutely your choice. It certainly won't earn you the scarlet letter of RV or anything like that. :) You will find that there are people on RFT that use it regularly while others would not touch it with a ten foot pole.