Potassium Carbonate, to my understanding, is not considered poisonous,
though I would not want to get the dust in my eyes. I could concentrate on
understanding what you used. If it was marked "Harmful" maybe it has
impurities or something is special about it that causes it to be a problem.
They would not put that warning on the label without a reason. I would
definitely stop drinking the wine until I found out some specifics about the
material you used. If you can, contact the company that sold it or
manufactured it or both. If that is not possible, contact a poison center.

Ray

"Timmy Zammit" > wrote in message
om...
> In 2001 I experimented with various fruit wines and with the aid of a
> titration kit I reduced the acidity by using POTASSIUM CARBONATE
> ANHYDROUS (BDH Product Codes 10196-26157-29592-71150. Hazard Class NR
> UN No CAS No 584-08-7). The potassium carbonate container has an "X"
> (Harmful) symbol with the warning "Harmful if swallowed. Irritating to
> eyes. Do not breathe dust.". Toxicity data is "LD50 1870 mg/kg oral,
> rat".
> The amount I used in each batch of 54 litres varied from 53g to 221g
> depending on the titration kit readings. After an appropriate
> maturation period in bulk and in bottle, we are now drinking these
> wines but both my wife and myself are getting badly sore throats and
> sore chests/lungs which lasts about 3 days whenever we drink just a
> glass of these wines - even with the lowest dosage Pineapple wine
> which has 53g per 54 litres. The only other "chemicals" added were
> citric acid and pectolytic enzyme used in quantities as stated in the
> appropriate recipes. As my knowledge of chemistry is very limited can
> somebody qualified please tell me what is the maximum level of
> potassium carbonate that can be used safely in wine. Should I play
> safe and throw away over 300 bottles of Prickly Pear, Peach, Pineapple
> and Tea wines?. I have been making wine from fresh grapes and fruits
> for many years with very satisfactory results but this is the first
> time I have used potassium carbonate - never again !!!. PLEASE HELP ME
> IF YOU CAN.