Oil on cutting boards

[William Bachtel]

Which oil besides material oil, is good for cutting boards? I am wanting to use it on curly Maple, so I want the curl to show. Material oil is clear. I am looking for more yellow. I do not want it to spoil, or go bad. Thanks.

[Glenn Clabo]

Stick with mineral oil. Other oils go bad. Walnut oil is also used...but I wouldn't use it...some are VERY allergic.

[Walt Nollan]

You can also find Mineral Oil labled as Butcher Block Oil.

Walt

[Greg Just]

Mineral oil is available at any drug store and is a lot cheaper than butcher block oil

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use Mike Mahoney's walnut oil. Never had a problem with allergies. Gives a yellow tint.

[Reed Gray]

A strong second on Mike's oil. Walnut oil it is, but the allergies are from the proteins in the meat of the nuts. His oil is pressed from the husks and leaves. E-mail him if you have questions. As far as going rancid goes, all vegetable and nut oils can go rancid. The main thing is that the wood needs to breath. Don't lock it away in a cupboard. When applying oil, wipe some on, let it sit for a bit, and then wipe off any excess. Another side note, Mike's oil isn't the same as what you buy in the stores. Most of that is pasteurized. The heating breaks down the nut proteins.
robo hippy

[Dan Forman]

A few odd facts about walnut oil:

Walnut oil is a drying oil, which like linseed, is sometimes used in artist oil paints. It' slower drying than linseed, and the film is not quite as durable.
Some of the commercial walnut oils for the food industry have additives which prevent them from drying. It also is fairly resitant to rancidity.

Dan

[William Bachtel]

Thanks guys.

[Jim Podsedly]

I like to use Woodcraft's Butcher Block Oil with a little beeswax melted into it. Gives a nice finish on cutting boards.

[Don McIvor]

I'm a firm non-believer in mineral oil. It's refined from petroleum oil, so all your doing is smearing a higher grade of motor oil on your woodturning than you're putting in your car. Mahoney's oil works well. I use tung oil that I mix with a natural drying agent to speed drying.

[Gary DeWitt]

I use Mahoney's walnut oil with success as well.

Don: what is your "natural drying agent"?

[Glenn Clabo]

Mike's oil "might" be without proteins...but I still would not take a chance around someone who is extremely allergic.

For more information please consult a doctor who specializes in allergies. Here's one statement and it's source...

Similarly, walnut oil that has undergone less processing at lower temperatures tends to demonstrate qualitatively greater allergenicity and higher protein concentrations, making it a threat to patients with allergy, depending on the method of manufacture and processing of the oil.

From Teuber SS, Brown RL, Haapanen LA (1997) Allergenicity of gourmet nut oils processed by different methods. J Allergy Clin Immunol 99(4): 502-507

[Jess Wetherhold]

I am surprised that no one has suggested danish oil (refined linseed oil). It is food safe and I think it would have the desired effect on the maple.

[Steven Wilson]

Well I like mineral oil and parafin myself but you might consider the following. take some transtint dye, add a bit of acetone, mix it up and add it to the mineral oil (maybe heat the oil to thin it). Apply that to the maple to get the color and top that coat with a mineral oil/parafin mix. I would run that by Jeff Jewit first though.

[Montgomery Scott]

Lemon oil wax sold through Craft Supply USA. I strictly use it as an initial finish for appearance only and never apply anything after that. There is no compelling reason to apply any oil or other finish to cutting boards other than appearance. It does nothing to prevent or destroy bacteria, the wood alone is adequate as studies have shown.

[jim tracy]

I use "Good Stuff" from Bally Block and Michigan Maple Block Company. You can buy it from Grizzly.Com. It is a fast drying synthetic oil that is non-toxic, alcohol resistant and FDA approved for food contact. I have used it for bowls, my own solid maple kitchen counter tops, cutting boards, and other wood projects. It goes on easy, drys overnight and with a little wax, buff's up nice. Great product!!!!

[Allen Neighbors]

I would not use any type of oil, unless it polymerizes. Here's why: (this is printed on a handout that I give with each bowl I sell)
Note: DO NOT use Mineral oil, or extra-virgin olive oil, or any type of vegetable oil. http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF11/1121B.html (http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF11/1121B.html) (This explains that Wood is better than any plastic for food items) Quote: Research Scientists smeared wooden boards with about 10,000 cells of Salmonella, Listeria, and Escherichia coli, cultured bacteria. That's about 10 times the number of organisms that typically wash off a contaminated chicken carcass. Within three minutes, 99.9 percent of the bacteria were unrecoverable and presumed dead. By the next morning, the researchers couldn't recover any live bacteria from the wood. Next, the scientists upped the germ count, inoculating the boards with a million or more bacteria apiece. Then they had enough survivors to work with, but not for long. Within two hours, again 99.9 percent of the bacteria had vanished. The only thing they've found that does enhance bacteria growth is treating the wood with mineral oil.

[Jess Wetherhold]

At the responses to this thread and why it is still in the turners forum.
I have seen so many things moved by the moderators so what is flat work doing here? I can only imagine that someone is having a laugh at a few of the responses.
NO offense.
Just curious.

[Ron McKinley]

Keep in mind that mineral oil is a laxative. Probably not a concern unless you use a freshly treated bowl......Ron

[M Toupin]

The problem with the internet is anyone can put anything up they want and there's no way to verify the veracity of the information. While I couldn't find any of the articles supposedly quoted, I did find this:
http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arch/9_14_96/bob2.htm

"In a pair of papers to be published in the Journal of Food Protection, Cliver and Paul K. Park report success in annihilating E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus with microwave heating. They contaminated wooden cutting boards with 1 billion colony-forming units per 25 square centimeters of surface and then cooked the boards on high heat in an 800-watt home microwave oven.
After 10 minutes, a medium-sized board emerged bone dry--and free of live microbes both on and below the surface. Wetting the board speeded the killing, suggesting that the microbes probably boiled to death."

I've got no idea which one (if either) of these quotes credited to Dr. Cliver are correct. maybe both, maybe neither??? Allan, this isn't meant to be a slam, I've heard the opposite claims over the years and your post just pushed me to look further into it myself. I'm still confused...

Mike



I would not use any type of oil, unless it polymerizes. Here's why: (this is printed on a handout that I give with each bowl I sell)
Note: DO NOT use Mineral oil, or extra-virgin olive oil, or any type of vegetable oil. http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF11/1121B.html (http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF11/1121B.html) (This explains that Wood is better than any plastic for food items) Quote: Research Scientists smeared wooden boards with about 10,000 cells of Salmonella, Listeria, and Escherichia coli, cultured bacteria. That's about 10 times the number of organisms that typically wash off a contaminated chicken carcass. Within three minutes, 99.9 percent of the bacteria were unrecoverable and presumed dead. By the next morning, the researchers couldn't recover any live bacteria from the wood. Next, the scientists upped the germ count, inoculating the boards with a million or more bacteria apiece. Then they had enough survivors to work with, but not for long. Within two hours, again 99.9 percent of the bacteria had vanished. The only thing they've found that does enhance bacteria growth is treating the wood with mineral oil.

[Don McIvor]

If you can't make it on a lathe, it probably isn't worth making! I am one among many (I'm sure) who make cutting boards on a lathe. Oddly enough, they all come out round.:rolleyes:

[Jess Wetherhold]

I get slack around my parts for turning lazy susan's. How else would it be perfectly round?

[Rasmus Petersen]

all good options for oiling. but there can be no doubt in my mind. all i ever use on things that come near food is grapeseed oil. this stuff dosen go bad is safe non alergick and gives you a very very nice surface and it cheap and easy to appy. i have som of the cuttingboards made by my farther in the 60´es thees have nerver seen anything other than grapeseed oil. the have been used every day all year. and they look like the dayt they where made. The other benefit is that the oil makes cuttingbords elastic/springy so wear is reduced.

Try it. you love it trust me...

[Dennis Peacock]

I've used mineral oil for a very long time. Never had any problem with people reacting to the oil. I've had a couple of people in the past tell me to NOT pre-treat their board with walnut oil due to alergy. So....by rule of "thumb" I've stuck with mineral oil. ;)

[M Toupin]

I took the opportunity to contact Dr. Cliver and query him about his findings as there seemed to be a number of inconsistencies or "half quotes" on various web sites. Dr. Cliver was very accommodating and forwarded an article he authored. 77596

The article also listed a number of other publications by Dr. Cliver that I located. Acording to Dr. Cliver's findings, contrary to some popular beliefs, wood doesn't seem to have a magical ability to kill bacteria outright. Wood cutting boards do appear to be safer according to his research though. Wood, unlike plastic, absorbs the liquids/bacteria and removes it from contract with food later placed on the same board. Dr. Cliver states though, that digging into the wood will reveal the bacteria is still there but it because it's not sitting on top of the board like a plastic one, greatly reduces the cross contamination likelihood.

The attached article didn't deal with the mineral oil issue, though the link below is to an abstract on one of his other articles. Here's a direct copy that deals in part with the mineral oil question. Note the bold text, "Mineral oil treatment of the wood surface had little effect on the microbiological findings."

So there you have it, wood boards are safer than plastic if properly cleaned and taken care of AND mineral oil does not create a health problem.

Mike
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"The microbiology of plastic and wooden cutting boards was studied, regarding cross-contamination of foods in home kitchens. New and used plastic (four polymers plus hard rubber) and wood(nine hardwoods) cutting boards were cut into 5-cm squares("blocks"). Escherichia coli (two nonpathogenic strains plus type OI57:H7), Listeria innocua, L. monocytogenes, or Salmonella typhimurium was applied to the 25-cm2 block surface in nutrient broth or chicken juice and recovered by soaking the surface in nutrient broth or pressing the block onto nutrient agar, within 3-10 min or up to ca. 12 h later. Bacteria inoculated onto plastic blocks were readily recovered for minutes to hours and would multiply if held overnight. Recoveries from wooden blocks were generally less than those from plastic blocks, regardless of new or used status; differences increased with holding time. Clean wood blocks usually absorbed the inoculum completely within 3-10 min. If these fluids contained 103-104 CFU of bacteria likely to come from raw meat or poultry, the bacteria generally could not be recovered after entering the wood. If ≥106 CFU were applied, bacteria might be recovered from wood after 12 h at room temperature and high humidity, but numbers were reduced by at least 98%, and often more than 99.9%. Mineral oil treatment of the wood surface had little effect on the microbiological findings. These results do not support the often-heard assertion that plastic cutting boards are more sanitary than wood."
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http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iafp/jfp/1994/00000057/00000001/art00003

[William Bachtel]

Back to cutting boards ( round ones) Where do I get grape seed oil. Wood orange oil pop the Curly Maple any better.







/

[Jess Wetherhold]

I can't see how grapeseed oil would have any different effect than mineral oil. They are both clear. Here is one that I did with Danish oil.
77653

[Kim Ford]

I know some disagree, however, I have used Extra Virgin Olive oil on bowls, cutting boards and even furniture for years. I made our dining room table in the 70's out of red oak. I sanded it and starting putting on coats of olive oil, I would wipe on a coat, buff it down with a rag an let it set for a couple of days, and then do it again, and again ....... About six months of this and I applied several coats of Deft. The underlying finish is unbeliveable, the depth of the wood and the light reflections are still fantastic.

I do the same thing with my bowls and cutting boards, although I do not put Deft on them. I really like the color the oil brings out of the wood and provided you use a little common sense when you apply it and wipe it down good with a soft rag it has never failed me. I personally think it is the best finish you can give a food service bowl or board.

Yes, it can go rancid, if you put it on too thick, don't wipe it down and then let it set in a closed cabinet or plastic box with high humidity, but mold and bacteria can do that with almost any natural finish you would use on a food service item.

I realize this may not be the finish you choose, but please understand that it does work and actually very well.

[Don Eddard]

To whoever was complaining that mineral oil is a petroleum product...so? A lot of things we ingest are petroleum based. Maybe we should go back to living in caves and hunting with rocks (veggies only, of course). Back to the good old days when the average life expectancy was less than half what it is now.

Also, if you are getting enough of any cutting board finish in your mouth to be worrisome, you need to stop eating cutting boards.


Keep in mind that mineral oil is a laxative. Probably not a concern unless you eat a freshly treated bowl......Ron
Fixed that for you. ;)

[Rasmus Petersen]

Back to cutting boards ( round ones) Where do I get grape seed oil. Wood orange oil pop the Curly Maple any better.


?? Dont know... in DK you can get it everywhere sold at the supermarked..

[Rasmus Petersen]

I can't see how grapeseed oil would have any different effect than mineral oil. They are both clear. Here is one that I did with Danish oil.
77653


mineral oil is just that.. Mineral non food... but try it trust me it works great. and it never goes rancid... have had a open tub standig in my shop for some reason for 6 months now ... just fine...

I have uest virgin olive oil but its more troublesome to use and can go rancid ...

but try it out.... i use large amounts when i use it eg... swimming in the stuff, then just dry off with papertowl. repeat every few days until its saturated then when it starts to loos shine from washing i use a pice of papertowl with the oil from the cooking kupboard wipe on thats it

[Allen Neighbors]

The problem with the internet is anyone can put anything up they want and there's no way to verify the veracity of the information.
Allan, this isn't meant to be a slam, I've heard the opposite claims over the years and your post just pushed me to look further into it myself. I'm still confused...Mike
No Worries, Mike... didn't take it as a slam. I did research the article, though, and it comes from this: (I trust it more than any other article I've found on the subject... especially over anything the USDA swears to. :) Dean Cliver is Professor Emeritus, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Food Microbiology and Toxicology, University of Wisconsin, Madison.)

Abstract: Focuses on previous theories regarding which surfaces are safer for food preparation - Study indicating that pathogens prefer plastic to wooden surfaces; Work of Dean O. Cliver and Nese O. Ak; Studies of Escberichia coli, Salmonella and Listeria; The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) model codes for state agencies; More.

Science News, February 6, 1993, Vol. 143 Issue 6, p84



Section: SClENCE NEWS of the week...
Chefs know that, any way you slice it, wooden surfaces are kinder to knife blades than either plastic or glass. But in recent years, everyone from kitchen suppers to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has urged cooks to cut on nonporous materials, typically plastic. Supposedly plastic boards give bacteria, such as Salmonella in chicken, less chance of escaping rigorous cleaning, thus reducing the chance that such bugs will survive to contaminate Other foods.
If such arguments have frightened you away from slicing, dicing, or boning on wood, you may be able to bring your butcher block out of retirement New research indicates that the safety advocates were wrong: Pathogens prefer plastic.
No one was more surprised by this than Dean O. Cliver and Nese 0. Ak, two microbiolgists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They began studying cutting boards in hopes of identifying decontamination techniques that might render wood as safe as plastic.
But the pair quickly found that within three minutes of inoculating wooden boards with cultures of common food-poisoning agents - up to 10,000 cells of Salmonella, Listeria, or Escherichia cali – 99.9 percent of the bacteria were unrecoverablc and presumed dead. Under similar conditions, none of the bugs placed on plastic died.
Indeed, when the researchers maintained plastic boards overnight at high humidity and room temperature, microbe populations grew; the researchers recovered no live bacteria from wood the next morning.
The scientific literature suggests that the number of Salmonella cells that might wash off a chicken carcass probably will not exceed about 1,000, Cliver notes. "We can get less than 99.9 percent kills [on the wooden boards in three minutes] if we go to inordinately high levels of inoculation" -such as l million or more bacterial cells, he says. In those instances, he and Ak had to wait about two hours before achieving a 99 9 percent reduction in the bugs they recovered.
While the wooden boards appear to kill bacteria. "we've not recovered the little critters' dead bodies." Cliver acknowledges. "So all we know is that by the best available means, we can't get them back after they go onto a hoard." The big concern is whether bacteria hiding deep within the wood might subsequently surface to contaminate the foods an the chopping black "As best we can tell, that isn't going to happen," Cliver says.
The same is not true of knife-scored plastic cuning boards. The scientists found that bacteria lodged in the plastic's cut grooves not only survived a hot watcr-and-soap wash, but could later surface to contaminate foods. By contrast, Cliver says, with wood "a good wipe will do fine – and if you forget to wipe the board, you probably won't be too bad off."
At one point, the Wisconsin researchers inoculated wood and plastic on three successive days, maintatmng each board - without cleaning – at room temperatures and high humidity By that time, "the plastic boards were downright disgusting," Cliver says, "while the wood boards had about 99.9 percent fewer bacteria than [Ak] had put on them."
"Wood is more forgiving -and perhaps user-friendly - than plasttc is once it's been cut some," Cliver says.
Boards sold to homeowners typically come from the factory treated with mineral oil. "That treatment is intended to make the wood more impermeable – like plastic," Cliver says. "The bad news is that it does make wood more like plastic.... In every one of our tests, if the wood had been treated to retard the penetation moisture, the bacteria survived longer."
Wood's presumed bactericidal activity does not depend on whether it is new nor, apparently, on species. Cliver and Ak have already tested bonds from hard maple, birch, beech, black cherry, basswood, bunemut, and American black walnut. Tests on oak and ash are pending.
The microbiologists hope to submit their findings for publication within the next few months. One weakness, Cliver notes, is their inability to nail down a mechanism or agent responsible for wood's antibacterial properties.
Although no laws prohibit commercial establishments from using wooden cutting boards, the Food and Drug Administration's model code for state agencies call for using only "nonabsorbent" and easily cleaned materials for surfaces that food contacts, The USDA also recommends acrylic or other nonporous materials to consumers asking about preferred cutting boards, according to Bessie Berry with its Ment and Poultry Hotline in Washington, D.C.
Cooks should never cut on glass, she says, because minute shards may chip off and become embedded in food.
Microbiologist Priscilla Levine of USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says she knows of no scientific studies demonstrating the advantages of one cutting-board material over another in inhibiting bacterial contamination. She told SCIENCE NEWS that her agency based its recommendations on "common sense".
Like state and local inspectors, these federal agencies have "bought the myth" that plaslic is safer than wood, says food scientist O. Peter Snyder, a St. Paul, Minn.based consultant to the retail-food industry For at least two decades, he says, "sanitarians [sanitation inspectors] out there have been telling us to use plastic cutting boards, even though they had no evidence that plastic was better."
Indeed, Snyder contends, the little research done on the subject has failed to demonstrate plastic's superiority He cited one study conducted about 25 years ago that showed wooden cutting boards were at least as good as plastic when it comes to cleaning off microbial contamination.
If others confirm the Wisconsin data, Snyder says, sanitarians may have to alter their advocacy in favor of wood. But, he adds, considering how slowly practices change in the food business, 10 years after such confirmatory data came in "sanitarians would probably still be requiring [retail establishments) to use plastic cutting boards."Long before glass and ceramics, wood was used for foodstuffs, i.e., bowls, plates, utensils, etc., even my Dad's family used wooden plates and bowls. They were normally cleaned with lye-soap and water, and sand and water when the soap wasn't available.
I trust this research to such an extent that I'm still not going to use oil on my cutting boards or utility bowls, and also will suggest to my customers that they don't either.