food-safe dining table finish

[andrewk]

I'm looking for advice on a product to finish a dining table. I have already applied a couple of coats of Danish Oil, but after some research I found that it may not be suitable since food will come in contact with it (my toddler eats of the table).

Or is it actually OK? Can anyone confirm whether Danish Oil is OK?

Anyway, I either need (1) something that can be applied over the top as a food-safe sealant, or (2) I'm going to have to strip it back and use an appropriate product.

I'd prefer option (1) .

Andrew.

[Vernonv]

Yeah, yeah, blame the baby

I'm not sure about Danish oil (someone should be able to confirm), but if not, I know Organoil is supposed to be food safe.

[RETIRED]

This has been answered before.

Danish oil is food safe when cured, approx 2 weeks.

[TEEJAY]

Welcome aboard Andrew,

But all this translates to :

Don't blame the baby

AND

You should have done a search

[andrewk]

Postscript:

When I asked Cabots about this they weren't very helpful. They don't recommend Danish Oil for food-contact applications but that doesn't mean it's unsuitable - just that they don't want to say anything.

Therefore you can buy it but you shouldn't use it for anything ...

OK, so I called the dept of health or food services to see if there were any relevant regulations and had a converstion with someone there. Not specifically about Danish Oil but I learn't that what health inspectors look for in food preparation areas is that the surfaces are hard, smooth, non-porous, and washable. The actual material doesn't matter.

I guess it doesn't apply to DIY'ers but I wonder if there are standards that furniture manufacturers and sellers need to conform to in regards to the materials used.

[China]

Isugest you have a look at Rustins Plastic Coating it is ideal for your task

[rsser]

Isugest you have a look at Rustins Plastic Coating it is ideal for your task

Yes, would have been had the DO not been applied.

Wot said; a DO with a decent pedigree will not poison your ankle biter.

Then you could ask 'why is he biting the table?'.

[la Huerta]

i think any super hard varnish or poly would be food safe once cured, like the health guys said, smooth and non porous...there is no reason why a cured finish would be any different then eating off clean kitchen cupboards, floor or bench top or any other surface in the home or a plastic plate, all are a hard smooth surface and if kept clean would be safe, but a porous surface like an oil finish may have food safe oil but the germs trapped in the pours and very very bad...

hope this helps

[Cruzi]

ibut a porous surface like an oil finish may have food safe oil but the germs trapped in the pours and very very bad...

The tannins(sp?) in wood act as a natural disinfectant.

Although the modern trend is now towards plastics for food preparation, since dawn of time wood was used.

In a plastic board, food particles caught in the nicks caused by a knife will go rancid whereas in a wooden board they are disinfected by the wood.

Orange oil is good for chopping boards, non-toxic and foodsafe, don't know how it would go on a dining table though.

[la Huerta]

The tannins(sp?) in wood act as a natural disinfectant.



.

could point Cruzi, but it may just depend on the wood species too, i have a small ausssi hardwood cutting board and if it ain't cleaned properly it gets bacteria in it like a plastic board...

so it appears that both choices have there good and bad...

...in a old day butcher shop , bread shop , cheese making shop or whatever the prep areas used to be wood, you don't see that here anymore but i know that in places like France it would still be used today, not sure what timber , probably French oak!....