high temperature cooking in cambro polycarbonate

hi guys...

first time post. searched but couldn't find the answer...

many of the chefsteps recipes for vegetables put the temperature at 194 °F / 90 °C, and the cooking is being done in polycarbonate tanks/boxes.

i was about to purchase the following cambro polycarbonate tank from webstaurantstore.com:

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/clear-cambro-12189cw135-camwear-polycarbonate-food-storage-box-12-x-18-x-9/21412189CWCL.html

but i noticed that the max temperature it is rated for is 160 degrees F. oddly, the lids are rated up to 200 degrees F.

much of the purpose of sous vide cooking is of course "slow and low," but has anyone had any problems with the durability/safety of cooking in polycarbonate boxes above their rated max temperatures?

neither the polyscience site nor the chefsteps store indicate any max temps for their available polycarbonate boxes, and as these are quite a bit more expensive, would love to go with webstaurantstore (only $17.99).

anyone noticed this?

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Johan_Edstrom_5586

Never noticed that, that is the model I have, never had any issues.

grant

We have never had any issues either. We really abuse ours too.

Johan_Edstrom_5586

The lid that has the cutout fits that model perfectly, leading one to possibly think they might just be the same thing

Jack_Mayer_85396

@Grant - is this the same cambro tub that y'all sell here at CS? That's the one I bought and I have used it at higher temps for vegetables without any issues.

william_trainor_43385

great, thanks johan!

think i'll just go with the cambro polycarbonate then.

i believe they are rated to 160 degrees F because they are dishwasher safe. if anyone else catches this thread, here's a blurb about hot water sanitization for commercial dishwashers from ehow.com:

http://www.ehow.com/list_7151132_requirements-commercial-dishwasher.html

Hot Water Sanitization
NSF/ANSI Standard Number 3 mandates that single-temperature commercial machines with one stationary rack have a minimum wash temperature of 165 degrees F. Dual-temperature machines with a stationary rack must have a minimum wash temperature of 150 degrees F. Commercial machines operating with a conveyor but with a single tank must have a minimum wash temperature of 160 degrees F, while conveyor-operated washers with multiple tanks require a minimum wash temperature of 150 degrees F. For all types of commercial dishwashers, the maximum temperature for the final sanitizing rinse is 195 degrees F.

another option is the following for those who are concerned with max temp in polycarbonate. it is opaque white polyethylene instead, and is rated up to the boiling point of water:

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/white-carlisle-1063202-storplus-food-storage-box-18-x-12-x-9/700181209WH.html

thanks again.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/list_7151132_requirements-commercial-dishwasher.html#ixzz2kN6ArvSX

william_trainor_43385

btw, thanks to all for the quick responses. big fan of the site, from the ethos to the design to the photography to the recipes.

DiggingDogFarm_65362

Looks to me like WebRestaurantStore has the temperature limit of polyethylene (which is ~160 degrees F) mixed up with the temperature limit of polycarbonate (which is ~210 degrees F.)

Cambro makes containers from both plastics.

Brendan_Lee_56950

The one's I've bought from restaurant supply stores are rated to 200F so I wonder if it's a typo like @diggingdog mentioned.

Steve_Works_148985

No problems thus far. Polycarbonate boxes can be used safely at those temperatures.

Eric_Williams_11175

Cambro Polycarbonate 'withstands temperatures from -40 to +210F"

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/documents/specsheets/cambro_storage_specsheet.pdf

loewislin

Hi guys - are there any concerns with the fact that polycarbonate Cambros have BPA? If I am using ziplocs with my Cambro, could the BPA be leeching into my ziploc, and then to my food?