Okay, so we all know the “cronch” meme of rosin here on Tumblr. But why should you not eat rosin? And why should you also not snort rosin? Well, ya girl did a little digging for the benefit of the curious musician.
What Is Rosin Made Of?
Well, rosin is generally a heated conglomerate resulting from the distillation of crude turpentine oleoresin, or of naphtha extract from pine stumps. In layman’s terms, rosin is tree sap. Similar ingredients go into various products, such as rubber or, most commonly, gum. Different companies may add different ingredients, however, to alter the composition of their product. Seldom, if ever, is bow rosin just plain and simple tree sap. According to Rockin Rosin, “Some other rosin companies add oils, waxes or precious metals and others keep their recipe completely secret.”
So Is It Natural Or Not?
As stated before, it really depends on the additives. Overall, something you shouldn’t consume is probably mixed into it. But so what? You know what else is natural? Arsenic.
Alright, So What Effects Are We Dealing With, Exactly?
For starters, you should probably be more cautious if you have respiratory issues or asthma. Inhaling rosin dust may induce breathing issues for you, and you may even want to look into low-dust rosin. Otherwise, it is important to remember that rosin is a sticky substance made from tree sap. Therefore, when rosin dust meets a liquid substance it will congeal and harden after it reaches a cool enough temperature. By snorting rosin, you are exposing yourself to the risk of your cilia (the little hairs inside of your nose) becoming clogged and stuck together, thus affecting your breathing and possibly doing permanent damage to your nasal canal. Preventing the dispersion of rosin dust is encouraged by the PAN Pesticide Database, so why would you intentionally snort it?
Others may experience skin sensitivity or rashes. Allergic contact dermatitis is not uncommon in musicians and performing artists in rosin-heavy environments. This is often a result of individual allergies to abietic acid- an organic compound that is a major component of tree rosin or other plasticizers.
There is no major long-term toxicity study done on the affects of eating rosin (that I can find, at least), and this is widely because all the studies are done on rats, not people. Either way, There’s a difference between food grade rosin and the regular rosin you apply to your bow. When you go to the store to buy rosin for your instrument, food grade rosin is not what is being marketed to you. I have heard that even food grade rosin in larger doses can possibly subject you to other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. So bow rosin that contains potentially unnatural, toxic, or metallic compounds should not be intentionally ingested. I’m working on confirming this, but I have also seen some posts stating that some rosin companies intentionally mix in toxic elements with the express purpose of discouraging people from eating it. Again- I have not successfully confirmed that, but it is something to at least consider.
So…
So you won’t die because of rosin, and bodily damage is not common… because it is not meant to be consumed, and most people do not consume it. Reactions to rosin are rare and easy to avoid so long as you’re using it correctly and for its express purpose. When not intentionally consumed in large quantities, rosin is practically harmless.
Your rosin may be toxic, or it may benign. But either way you shouldn’t consume it, particularly if you don’t know the exact ingredients. Which you probably don’t. Don’t lie to yourself.
But if you or somebody you knows ingests a large amount of rosin, please call the Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v37je02.htm
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v35je05.htm
http://www.nontoxichub.com/rosin-hazards
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC34305
http://rockinrosin.com/faq/
http://stringsmagazine.com/sticky-business-how-rosin-is-made/
jbbartram-illu
izzy806
janainaart
baratheonpilled
discoholicmusic
blakekathryn
areudirty
dailybridgerton
germansingergirl
