Why has boric acid been used in food?

Answer 1

Growing up in Appalachia we had a meat house to salt and sugar cure meats as well as to hang hams. Naturally, sugar and even salt cured meat attracts insects. A bug commonly referred to as skippers by the old timers would get into the outer skin of the meat especially around the bone. Every spring each ham or shoulder was taken down and washed in a hot water solution of water and borax to remove the excess salt and the bugs. Borax was an irritant to the insects and coupled with the hot water caused the insects to exit the hams and shoulders. Once the insects were gone and the excess salt washed away the hams and shoulder were rinsed and coated with molassas for the sugar cure. Next the sticky meat was heavily coated with pepper and a light dusting of salt to keep out other insects and to complete the sugar/peper curing process. The soon to be sugar cured ham was placed in a clean, tightly woven white flour sack and hung up to absorb the sugar and pepper flavors. Thus, the borax was used to clean the meat and only briefly contacted the meat long enough to do its job. Soap could not be used to clean the meat as it would impart a soapy flavor into the meat. Borax leaves a salty taste which the salt and pepper masks.