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Wood for Food

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Derek:
 Having a brief discussion with a well-known turner today about woods used for foodstuff got me thinking.

I know that people have asked for advice on woods for food and it may have been done to death but this is a small piece of research. There are going to be some that will say this is what I use but I am sure there are so many other woods other than those we deem as homegrown

What woods from around the world are deemed as safe to use with food I am talking of those that have research that has been done on them or are proven to be safe.

As far as I am aware there are lists for toxicity which usually covers things like working with the woods for example dust and it's reaction to contact with skin and also being inhaled, but not one that covers wood that comes into contact with food whether it is sealed or not.

I am now going to duck and wait for the flack ;D ;D ;D

Twisted Trees:
Spin that around, what woods are unsafe for contact with foodstuffs?

willstewart:
Well I would not use yew or laburnum for example for a fruit bowl or a pepper grinder - but I also suspect that the actual risk for this kind of 'dry' use is close to zero.  Contact with liquid food (?unlikely) or use in a young child's toy that might be sucked is different; stick to readily-available approved coatings (that will not last long anyway) and clearly safe normal woods (& use designs whose shape meets approval tests - the US online one for a rattle is simple).  Woodwind musical instruments such as flutes is an interesting case - so I guess we know blackwood & a few others like boxwood are OK.

But does anyone know of actual cases of harm for bowls?

bodrighywood:
Most woods are arguably safe unless chewed or sucked but it is the 1% of people who have an allergy that we have to think about. Most of the danger is from the dust etc as said but IMHO better safe than sorry especially if someone did become ill from simething I made I am legally liable, even if I gifted it to them. Laburnum, yew, walnut can be a problem for those with extreme nut allergies, iroko, teak, in fac=t most oily woods as the oil can seep into the food. Best better are all the acers, beech, and some indigenous ones such as hawthorn, fruit trees blackthorn,

Pete

The Bowler Hatted Turner:
I have a wooden flute made from Rosewood and I know people that are allergic to Rosewood so care must be taken in selecting what woods to use.
I am sure that the tannin in Oak would kill any bacteria on a serving platter made in that wood, but I always think Oak, because of the depth of the grain as a "dirty" timber. Boxwood, Beech and Sycamore have stood the test of time, Cedar perhaps and Cherry but personally I would not buy stuff made in different woods that were going to be in contact with my food. Others may feel differently of course but until a proper study has been made all of us are just guessing.

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