Food Allergy Walnut Oil

[michaelb]

Some turners are using Walnut oil to finish bowls, and nut oil can cause Anaphylatic shock and in view of recent events in the sandwich shops of cross contamination and legislation has any one information as to using this oil as a finishing product.  There is very little information I can find,  some on the AAWT forum site has some.   Walnut Oil is 80% cheaper than "food safe" and can be bought in most supermarkets . Should these turners put a warning on the bowls if selling at craft fairs etc .

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Most professional turners will use a food safe oil and not Walnut oil. This is one of the reasons why if you sell your wares you should have public and products liability insurance.

[bodrighywood]

The best food safe oils are those that you find in the kitchen such as rape, sunflower and sesame, etc You can however buy a proprietary food safe finish but I tend to use the 'kitchen' ones as most households have them. Don't use nut oils or olive oil, the latter goes rancid after a while. As John says, if you are selling your work or i fact even giving it away you will be legally responsible if there is any adverse reaction. Hence the 'May contain nuts' on peanut butter jars (though oddly peanuts aren't nuts) and the warning that the contents are hot on coffee cups at takeaways. Just pretend that common sense doesn't exist and play safe at all times.

Pete

[Derek]

I use either the food safe oils or as Pete some of the oils found in the home. I avoid walnut oil and olive oil for the reasons already stated.

Just pretend that common sense doesn't exist and play safe at all times.

Pete

Why pretend from the comments I hear from many of the youngsters it does not exist.

[seventhdevil]

can anyone find reports of this actually happening?

i don't sell anything for the kitchen but on occasion i've made the odd item like a chopping board and use danish oil which is a derivative of tung which is a nut so could people have a reaction to that?

[michaelb]

I personally don't use it but one Professional turner I know recommends and even dips his bowls,  have found this link which gives a bit more http://www.leevalley.com/us/shopping/TechInfo.aspx?p=59385 makes interesting reading and advice. 

[Derwent Woodturning club]

To add to the confusion, walnut oil is used in the kitchen and appears on the same supermarket shelves as the rest of the kitchen oils.
The problem with using so called food safe oils is that the customer will not have a bottle of that with which to refinish their salad bowl after it has been used a few times. This is one reason I use sunflower oil on my salad bowls but I am aware some people have had an averse reaction even to that oil.
I think if you looked long enough you would find someone with a reaction to anything and we can only go so far by telling the customer what has been used on each item, with a card or something, so they cannot come back later and say they hadn't been told.

[bodrighywood]

You need to remember that when selling something you are liable and to be honest most people are not going to be aware of what oil you have used. If you tell them at the point of sale they may well have forgotten by the time they use it. Walnut oil is used in the kitchen but is on sale as such and so is obviously a nut oil. when selling you have to assume that common sense is in fact rare. Proof, someone complaining that a goblet that they bought from me split after outting through a dishwasher.,

Pete

[Twisted Trees]

To be comparable to the food industry if there is a nut based oil (probably including Tung) or any seed based oil in your workshop, even if not specifically used on the item you should probably have an advisory MAY contain nut's.

With the current lack of common sense in this world, you should also have "Do not eat" for wooden fruits etc, and probably a "not dishwasher or open flame safe"  sticker as well.

Somebody out there somewhere is allergic to un-coated beech!

[bodrighywood]

Technically all woods have a potential toxicity problem with the possible exception of sycamore which has natural anti-biotics I understand.
I do actually hand out a maintenance sheet with my goblets. It states

"Wooden goblets should last a lifetime if treated correctly. The goblets are coated with a finish that is both water and alcohol resistant for use but it is inadvisable to immerse the goblets in water for a prolonged length of time or leave overnight with liquid in it

It is not advisable to use the goblets for hot liquids as this can cause the wood to expand and possibly split.

To wash the inside swill briefly in warm soapy water after use and dry off immediately before putting away, do not leave to drain.
 
DO NOT PLACE IN A DISHWASHER!

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"
Pete

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Ah you see there Pete you are now encouraging customers to drink water and alcohol and there is a danger that they will mix the two together!!

[bodrighywood]

Ah you see there Pete you are now encouraging customers to drink water and alcohol and there is a danger that they will mix the two together!!

As long as they don't adulterate scotch they can do what they like LOL.
Personally I don't see the attraction in drinking water, diluted with other substances or neat but hey, each to his own.

Pete

[Paul Hannaby]

I recall reading somewhere that the nut allergies are caused by the proteins in the nut. If the oil is correctly treated and filtered, the proteins are removed. Perhaps if you use nut oils it would be worth researching which ones are best suited for use as a finish.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Over 35 years ago I made a chopping boardfrom pine.I never treated it with anything but wash it up in hot water after each use. It never needed a treatment, this is something that could be considered.

[bodrighywood]

Over 35 years ago I made a chopping boardfrom pine.I never treated it with anything but wash it up in hot water after each use. It never needed a treatment, this is something that could be considered.

You're right John. Thinking about it we have wooden spoons, chopping boards and a coupke of wood handled knives that never see oil unless it gets spilt on them. Scrubbed with hot water when necessary and apart from a very artistic shaped wooden spoon that somehow went into the dishwasher they are all fine.

Pete