apple wood changing color

[Jovi]

My chin loves apple sticks but i have noticed the batch i have is starting to change color somewhat. I did a search and found that i may not be storing them right. I will keep them in a paper bag well ventilated from now on. Not sure what is on them... they have a pale greenish tinge. Can they be slavaged by boiling again and drying? If so how long do i boil and dry ? Or do they need to be tossed out?

 

[alli713]

Does the green look fuzzy like mold?

You can re-prepare wood if you're worried about it. I'd scrub it all off under warm water and then bake until it's thoroughly dry. Time would depend on how big the pieces are and temp would be anywhere from 200-250.

 

[Jovi]

Not sure if its mold. What else could it be ? I will try scrubbing it. Boiling it didn't do much.

 

[Jovi]

Searched a bunch of posts but still can't find what temperature to bake them on and for how long. I have them in now so any advice as soon as possible would be great.

 

[alli713]

I posted in my last post to you that anywhere around 200-250 degrees is fine. And how long really depends on how big the pieces are. If they're twigs, they won't have to be in there long to dry out. You can always test them by snapping one in half and seeing if it feels dry.

 

[rcr]

Applewood should not change colors once its baked. The bark should be a dark mahogany red color and as Alli said the twigs should snap apart. If the pieces are thicker then hit them against a hard surface like a counter top, if they are cooked they will make a tapping sound vs. a thud or thump. Also, look at the cut ends if it is turning green then mold is forming and the wood should be thrown out. Hope that helps.

 

[PetProductsByNature]

A couple of our woods will change colors with exposure to light...especially the cottonwood. Many of the logs while on the drying racks will turn a brown on one side while the side not exposed will stay green. We can smell them and tell the wood is still good. We've had plenty of mold and mildew problems while perfecting our drying process and it seems it always starts on the ends of the wood...not the bark. Once they are completely dried, however, the color seems to stay the same so I agree with rcr, once they are properly dried they should not change color...if unsure if a wood is thoughouly dry, I think you should keep it out of light and in a well ventilated area, free of high humidity and moisture as they will pick up the dampness in the air. We keep ours in bins without the lids tightly closed. Hope that helps.