Here's the thing... all my life I was told to get good walnut oil for
any wooden food utensils, containers, etc. The reason was given that it
would not turn rancid. But I've noticed that most woodworking or sales
sites tell folks to use mineral oil or some trade-named formula
containing it. I do know that regular cooking oils will go rancid and
I've seen many a cutting board that smelled funky because of it. But
when talking about long-term preservation of wooden articles for food
use, can anyone shed any light?

I thought mineral oil wasn't good for folks.

Is walnut oil the way to go? What are hazards of walnut oil (if any)?

> mangodance wrote:
>
>> Here's the thing... all my life I was told to get good walnut oil for
>> any wooden food utensils, containers, etc. The reason was given that
>> it would not turn rancid. But I've noticed that most woodworking or
>> sales sites tell folks to use mineral oil or some trade-named formula
>> containing it. I do know that regular cooking oils will go rancid and
>> I've seen many a cutting board that smelled funky because of it. But
>> when talking about long-term preservation of wooden articles for food
>> use, can anyone shed any light?

bynot wrote:

> i'm a woodworker and all the articles and plans from magazines that i
> have read call for a form of mineral oil

That seems to be largely because it is inexpensive and readily
available. I'm not real keen on mineral oil. I'm really looking for
the best way to treat woods for edibles and still not worry about oils
turning rancid and still being truly edible. It would seem thus far
that Walnut is the best available meeting those criteria. Although I
have seen one reference of someone heating their walnut oil and adding
some shaved bees wax and stirring until it was dissolved. ---sounded
interesting.

mangodance > wrote in
:

>> mangodance wrote:
>>
>>> Here's the thing... all my life I was told to get good walnut oil for
>>> any wooden food utensils, containers, etc. The reason was given that
>>> it would not turn rancid. But I've noticed that most woodworking or
>>> sales sites tell folks to use mineral oil or some trade-named formula
>>> containing it. I do know that regular cooking oils will go rancid and
>>> I've seen many a cutting board that smelled funky because of it. But
>>> when talking about long-term preservation of wooden articles for food
>>> use, can anyone shed any light?
>
> bynot wrote:
>
> > i'm a woodworker and all the articles and plans from magazines that i
> > have read call for a form of mineral oil
>
> That seems to be largely because it is inexpensive and readily
> available. I'm not real keen on mineral oil. I'm really looking for
> the best way to treat woods for edibles and still not worry about oils
> turning rancid and still being truly edible. It would seem thus far
> that Walnut is the best available meeting those criteria. Although I
> have seen one reference of someone heating their walnut oil and adding
> some shaved bees wax and stirring until it was dissolved. ---sounded
> interesting.
>
>

Walnut oil can go rancid, a very nasty taste. More expensive and harder to
find are also applicable.

Mineral oil isn't poisonous, very few people would be allergic to it (way
fewer than those with nut allergies). And the amounts that would
contaminate the food wouldn't be enough to invoke it's laxitive properties.
It has a very neutral taste if any at all. There are quite a few edible
petroluem products out there. Most commercial chocolate candy bars have
prafin wax in them...that's one example of edible petroluem oil. Sure
mineral oil isn't a food, and your body can't use it. But it doesn't hurt
your body either. Somewhat like all the nitrogen you breathe in daily.

Cutting boards need re-oiling depending on their usage and amount they're
cleaned at least every year or so, possibly more frequently if used
multiple times daily. Or they'll dry up and then its' wood fiber/saw dust
in your diet time.

To me mineral oil has way more pros than cons, for a working cutting board.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

mangodance > wrote in message >...
> > mangodance wrote:
> >
> >> Here's the thing... all my life I was told to get good walnut oil for
> >> any wooden food utensils, containers, etc. The reason was given that
> >> it would not turn rancid. But I've noticed that most woodworking or
> >> sales sites tell folks to use mineral oil or some trade-named formula
> >> containing it. I do know that regular cooking oils will go rancid and
> >> I've seen many a cutting board that smelled funky because of it. But
> >> when talking about long-term preservation of wooden articles for food
> >> use, can anyone shed any light?
>
> bynot wrote:
>
> > i'm a woodworker and all the articles and plans from magazines that i
> > have read call for a form of mineral oil
>
> That seems to be largely because it is inexpensive and readily
> available. I'm not real keen on mineral oil. I'm really looking for
> the best way to treat woods for edibles and still not worry about oils
> turning rancid and still being truly edible. It would seem thus far
> that Walnut is the best available meeting those criteria. Although I
> have seen one reference of someone heating their walnut oil and adding
> some shaved bees wax and stirring until it was dissolved. ---sounded
> interesting.

Walnut oil will go rancid, just like nuts do.

And besides, you might be using it to prepare food for someone such as
I, a person severely allergic to nuts (not peanuts). The eensiest bit
of nut oil will put me in the hospital.

N.

>Walnut oil will go rancid, just like nuts do.
>
>And besides, you might be using it to prepare food for someone such as
>I, a person severely allergic to nuts (not peanuts). The eensiest bit
>of nut oil will put me in the hospital.
>
>N.

All true.

Professional woodworkers and wood product manufacturers *all* recommend one of
the several brands of wood preservative paste blended from mineral oil and
beeswax for use on wooden culinary utensils, bowls, boards, spoons handles,
etc. John Boos sells their own brand, Lee Valley sells a brand from the UK,
and the large hardware emporiums all carry similar products. Do NOT use any
vegetable oils, especially not nut oils.

The best method for sterilzing wood cutting boards is to after washing them
place them out in the bright sun for a few hours on each side; UV light is an
excellent baceriostat.


---= BOYCOTT FRANCE (belgium) GERMANY--SPAIN =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
*********
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
Sheldon
````````````

hahabogus wrote:
> Walnut oil can go rancid, a very nasty taste. More expensive and harder to
> find are also applicable.

Everything I've read to date states walnut oil is a drying oil. Applied
in thin coats, it dries before going rancid. I'll concede the cost
issue, but I've never found it very hard to find. Natural food stores
are on my shopping runs though so it may not be in the run of the mill
corner grocery. I've been using walnut oil for more than 20 years and
my boards and such don't smell rancid. I will say that when I've seen
used boards and such I have seen a good many that were rancid. Thie
owners used regular veg oils though.

> Mineral oil isn't poisonous, very few people would be allergic to it (way
> fewer than those with nut allergies).

While I don't know the amount of folks allergic to mineral oil, I do
know that nut allergies are not all that rare. But how many are
allergic to all nuts? I have a friend who breaks out with peanuts but
enjoys pistacios.

mangodance > wrote in :

> While I don't know the amount of folks allergic to mineral oil, I do
> know that nut allergies are not all that rare. But how many are
> allergic to all nuts? I have a friend who breaks out with peanuts but
> enjoys pistacios.
>

So you'd prefer to hospitalize only your new acquaintances when they come
over for dinner. Or keep several cutting boards oiled in various nut oils
for all occassions, just in case. Seems accessive to me ...but its' your
call. I hear they like to sue a lot in the States...

If the oil dries how is it going to stop/slow down the introduction of wood
fiber into your diet? While I'm not certain there aren't molds/fungi
that'll eat mineral oil (some eat CD's), I am certain nut oils can get mold
(dry or wet) another alergy/toxcin concern. Again it's your call.


--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

mangodance > wrote in :

> While I don't know the amount of folks allergic to mineral oil, I do
> know that nut allergies are not all that rare. But how many are
> allergic to all nuts? I have a friend who breaks out with peanuts but
> enjoys pistacios.
>

So you'd prefer to hospitalize only your new acquaintances when they come
over for dinner. Or keep several cutting boards oiled in various nut oils
for all occassions, just in case. Seems accessive to me ...but its' your
call. I hear they like to sue a lot in the States...

If the oil dries how is it going to stop/slow down the introduction of wood
fiber into your diet? While I'm not certain there aren't molds/fungi
that'll eat mineral oil (some eat CD's), I am certain nut oils can get mold
(dry or wet) another alergy/toxcin concern. Again it's your call.


--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

hahabogus wrote:

> mangodance > wrote in :
>
>
>>While I don't know the amount of folks allergic to mineral oil, I do
>>know that nut allergies are not all that rare. But how many are
>>allergic to all nuts? I have a friend who breaks out with peanuts but
>>enjoys pistacios.
>
> So you'd prefer to hospitalize only your new acquaintances when they come
> over for dinner. Or keep several cutting boards oiled in various nut oils
> for all occassions, just in case. Seems accessive to me ...but its' your
> call. I hear they like to sue a lot in the States...

quite a jump, no? My friend is allergic to peanuts (legumes) not actual
nuts. I don't know anyone personally who is allergic to nuts and/or
oils. However, I am a believer in agroforestry and do use nuts in a LOT
of day-to-day cooking. Thus, my entire kitchen is a hazard to anyone
allergic to nuts. Is it excessive then for me to have nuts or nut
products in my kitchen at all? Since I always ask about dietary
restrictions before having folks over, I don't much see the issue.
Perhaps a "This facility is one that has processed nuts" sign or some
other disclaimer is needed?

> If the oil dries how is it going to stop/slow down the introduction of wood
> fiber into your diet? While I'm not certain there aren't molds/fungi
> that'll eat mineral oil (some eat CD's), I am certain nut oils can get mold
> (dry or wet) another alergy/toxcin concern. Again it's your call.

nut oils can mold if in very humid circumstances. I live where the
summer weather has about 100% humidity as a rule. In 20 years or more,
I've never had any boards mold. I just gave away two older boards but
still have 9 of differing woods and sizes.

Since we're gabbin' a bit, I thought I might attach some sites for
further info and/or discussion:

From the Forest Products Laboratory:

http://tinyurl.com/6xqo8

pretty good snippet here referring to solidification:

http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/info5.html

although this is a bamboo article (much more dense and not as receptive
to oil as most board woods) a really fine comparison table of drying at:

http://www.navaching.com/shaku/oil.html

cutting boards:

http://www.alladd.com/cuttingboard%20care.htm

a little wood/oil science...

http://www.arbortech.com.au/articles/013.html

http://www.woodworking-forum.com/woo...ot_934683.html

hahabogus wrote:

> mangodance > wrote in :
>
>
>>While I don't know the amount of folks allergic to mineral oil, I do
>>know that nut allergies are not all that rare. But how many are
>>allergic to all nuts? I have a friend who breaks out with peanuts but
>>enjoys pistacios.
>
> So you'd prefer to hospitalize only your new acquaintances when they come
> over for dinner. Or keep several cutting boards oiled in various nut oils
> for all occassions, just in case. Seems accessive to me ...but its' your
> call. I hear they like to sue a lot in the States...

quite a jump, no? My friend is allergic to peanuts (legumes) not actual
nuts. I don't know anyone personally who is allergic to nuts and/or
oils. However, I am a believer in agroforestry and do use nuts in a LOT
of day-to-day cooking. Thus, my entire kitchen is a hazard to anyone
allergic to nuts. Is it excessive then for me to have nuts or nut
products in my kitchen at all? Since I always ask about dietary
restrictions before having folks over, I don't much see the issue.
Perhaps a "This facility is one that has processed nuts" sign or some
other disclaimer is needed?

> If the oil dries how is it going to stop/slow down the introduction of wood
> fiber into your diet? While I'm not certain there aren't molds/fungi
> that'll eat mineral oil (some eat CD's), I am certain nut oils can get mold
> (dry or wet) another alergy/toxcin concern. Again it's your call.

nut oils can mold if in very humid circumstances. I live where the
summer weather has about 100% humidity as a rule. In 20 years or more,
I've never had any boards mold. I just gave away two older boards but
still have 9 of differing woods and sizes.

Since we're gabbin' a bit, I thought I might attach some sites for
further info and/or discussion:

From the Forest Products Laboratory:

http://tinyurl.com/6xqo8

pretty good snippet here referring to solidification:

http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/info5.html

although this is a bamboo article (much more dense and not as receptive
to oil as most board woods) a really fine comparison table of drying at:

http://www.navaching.com/shaku/oil.html

cutting boards:

http://www.alladd.com/cuttingboard%20care.htm

a little wood/oil science...

http://www.arbortech.com.au/articles/013.html

http://www.woodworking-forum.com/woo...ot_934683.html