<p>There are many different kinds of finishes that are food safe. It turns out most finishes once <a href="http://www.westbaywoodturners.com/tutorial/food_safe_finishes.html">dried or cured are food safe</a> to one level or another.</p>

<p>Most finishes that cure are only food safe after they have finished curing which, sometimes can take quite a while, days, weeks, for some months.</p>

<p>Many of the food oil finishes are very food safe, peanut and walnut oils for example.  However, these are not hypoallergenic, since people with nut oils can react to the finish in the wood.  Though people with extreme allergies could even react to the walnut wood itself.</p>

<p>Natural waxes are excellent food safe finishes that are also hypoallergenic.  Bees wax is a good one and <a href="http://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/finishes/is-your-finish-food-safe/">apparently paraffin is also a good one</a>, even recommended for cutting boards, which means with the knife in contact with the top it, you are sure to get some mixed in with the food.</p>

<p>My favorite wax is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnauba_wax">Carnuba wax</a>, it is claimed to be the most hypoallergenic wax out there and it is also the strongest/toughest natural wax known.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T13:00:39.917Z
2016-04-27T13:00:39.917Z
bowlturner
<p>Most waxes and oils are, in themselves, food safe in indeed may of them are in fact food ingredients. The complication is that products used for finishing may contain additives and solvents which are potentially toxic although solvents, which by their nature disappear once the finish is cured tend to be less of a issue than drying agents. </p>

<p>The best advice is to look for products which are specifically sold as being food safe this can be confirmed by checking their safety data sheets. </p>

<p>Solid waxes are generally fine as are are unadulterated plant derived oils such as tung oil and linseed (flax) oil. </p>

<p>Paraffin and carnuba waxes are routinely used as coatings and release agents for confectionery etc. </p>

<p>You get food grade finishing ingredients in raw (eg oils and waxes) form fairly easily from craft and catering  suppliers as they are widely used in confectionery and cosmetics and blend these to make the type of finish you want. </p>

<p>Alternatively many wood finish brand have <a href="http://www.axminster.co.uk/chestnut-food-safe-oil-ax377292" rel="nofollow">specifically food safe products</a> as there is clearly a high demand for fruit bowls, chopping boards etc. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-01T22:21:38.887Z
2016-10-20T18:11:12.197Z
2016-10-20T18:11:12.197Z
Chris Johns
<p>When turning wood, I use paraffin blocks to finish the projects. I hold a solid block against the turning piece and make sure that everything is coated. Then I take a clean cloth and buff the turning piece up.
The only downside in my opinion is that it doesn't penetrated the wood very deep this way.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-23T14:13:40.503Z
The [other answer](http://crafts.stackexchange.com/a/101/44) already mentions several waxes that can be used.
Matt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-23T15:21:12.507Z
This answer might be better as a comment on the existing answer as a show of agreement from somebody with experience.
BeaglesEnd
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-23T15:36:18.153Z
@BeaglesEnd While the other answer mentions paraffin, it does not explain anything about how to use it or the possible downsides. This seems like a reasonable answer on its own.
Catija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-23T15:42:27.403Z
@Catija Point taken. Maybe the practical application of the paraffin wax could be expanded, and formatted, to differentiate from the current top rated answer?
BeaglesEnd
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-23T15:48:58.543Z
@BeaglesEnd Certainly :D Improvements to existing answers are always welcome.
Catija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-23T14:00:35.853Z
2016-06-23T14:00:35.853Z
Janw
<p>There are many different products to finish your projects with. What types are food safe and what should one look out for when finishing a project that needs to be food safe?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-26T19:56:47.317Z
Why are you asking this here? Are you trying to get another approach?
Matt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-26T19:58:36.233Z
@Matt did I ask it on WW?  It was one of my example questions I had for this proposal.
bowlturner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-26T19:59:37.100Z
I feel like the question exists on WW but I have not looked. I just figured it is a better fit for WW so that is why I was curious.
Matt
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-26T20:01:54.857Z
@Matt I'll modify it a little.  Is it still an OK question?
bowlturner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-26T20:11:33.240Z
[This question](http://woodworking.stackexchange.com/questions/3309/what-oil-stain-finish-to-use-on-a-cedar-spoon) is related, but there are enough hits for [food safe](http://woodworking.stackexchange.com/search?q=food+safe) on woodworking to make me wonder if it might have been useful as a tag there.  I think the question is too broad with the woodworking part edited out.  Keep in mind that, just because a question is a good fit elsewhere, doesn't mean we can't welcome it here.
JTL
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-26T20:12:39.840Z
@JTL That was my fear.  I'll add woodworking part back in.  I expect foodsafe to be a reasonable tag here.
bowlturner
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-27T22:48:19.200Z
@JTL Tag discussions are always welcome on Meta! As to scope things, if the question is on topic on more than one site, it's up to the person asking to decide where to post it, so it's perfectly fine either here or on WW, provided it's not cross posted. :D
Catija
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-28T06:15:07.037Z
@Catija I meant it as a WW.SE tag suggestion, but I think the tag is good here, too.  I don't think meta was up yet at the time.
JTL
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-28T13:00:21.820Z
@JTL as far as I know, meta has been up as long as the main site.
Catija
<woodworking><food-safe><finishing>
What are food safe finishes for woodworking projects, e.g. turned bowls?
bowlturner
# What are food safe finishes for woodworking projects, e.g. turned bowls?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-26)

There are many different products to finish your projects with. What types are food safe and what should one look out for when finishing a project that needs to be food safe?

**Tags:** woodworking, food-safe, finishing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Why are you asking this here? Are you trying to get another approach?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 did I ask it on WW?  It was one of my example questions I had for this proposal.  
> **username_1**: I feel like the question exists on WW but I have not looked. I just figured it is a better fit for WW so that is why I was curious.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I'll modify it a little.  Is it still an OK question?  
> **username_2**: [This question](http://woodworking.stackexchange.com/questions/3309/what-oil-stain-finish-to-use-on-a-cedar-spoon) is related, but there are enough hits for [food safe](http://woodworking.stackexchange.com/search?q=food+safe) on woodworking to make me wonder if it might have been useful as a tag there.  I think the question is too broad with the woodworking part edited out.  Keep in mind that, just because a question is a good fit elsewhere, doesn't mean we can't welcome it here.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 That was my fear.  I'll add woodworking part back in.  I expect foodsafe to be a reasonable tag here.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 Tag discussions are always welcome on Meta! As to scope things, if the question is on topic on more than one site, it's up to the person asking to decide where to post it, so it's perfectly fine either here or on WW, provided it's not cross posted. :D  
> **username_2**: @username_3 I meant it as a WW.SE tag suggestion, but I think the tag is good here, too.  I don't think meta was up yet at the time.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 as far as I know, meta has been up as long as the main site.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2016-04-27. Score: 10

There are many different kinds of finishes that are food safe. It turns out most finishes once [dried or cured are food safe](http://www.westbaywoodturners.com/tutorial/food_safe_finishes.html) to one level or another.

Most finishes that cure are only food safe after they have finished curing which, sometimes can take quite a while, days, weeks, for some months.

Many of the food oil finishes are very food safe, peanut and walnut oils for example. However, these are not hypoallergenic, since people with nut oils can react to the finish in the wood. Though people with extreme allergies could even react to the walnut wood itself.

Natural waxes are excellent food safe finishes that are also hypoallergenic. Bees wax is a good one and [apparently paraffin is also a good one](http://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/finishes/is-your-finish-food-safe/), even recommended for cutting boards, which means with the knife in contact with the top it, you are sure to get some mixed in with the food.

My favorite wax is [Carnuba wax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnauba_wax), it is claimed to be the most hypoallergenic wax out there and it is also the strongest/toughest natural wax known.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-07-01. Score: 5

Most waxes and oils are, in themselves, food safe in indeed may of them are in fact food ingredients. The complication is that products used for finishing may contain additives and solvents which are potentially toxic although solvents, which by their nature disappear once the finish is cured tend to be less of a issue than drying agents.

The best advice is to look for products which are specifically sold as being food safe this can be confirmed by checking their safety data sheets.

Solid waxes are generally fine as are are unadulterated plant derived oils such as tung oil and linseed (flax) oil.

Paraffin and carnuba waxes are routinely used as coatings and release agents for confectionery etc.

You get food grade finishing ingredients in raw (eg oils and waxes) form fairly easily from craft and catering suppliers as they are widely used in confectionery and cosmetics and blend these to make the type of finish you want.

Alternatively many wood finish brand have [specifically food safe products](http://www.axminster.co.uk/chestnut-food-safe-oil-ax377292) as there is clearly a high demand for fruit bowls, chopping boards etc.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2016-06-23. Score: 4

When turning wood, I use paraffin blocks to finish the projects. I hold a solid block against the turning piece and make sure that everything is coated. Then I take a clean cloth and buff the turning piece up.
The only downside in my opinion is that it doesn't penetrated the wood very deep this way.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The [other answer](http://crafts.stackexchange.com/a/101/44) already mentions several waxes that can be used.  
> **username_6**: This answer might be better as a comment on the existing answer as a show of agreement from somebody with experience.  
> **username_3**: @username_6 While the other answer mentions paraffin, it does not explain anything about how to use it or the possible downsides. This seems like a reasonable answer on its own.  
> **username_6**: @username_3 Point taken. Maybe the practical application of the paraffin wax could be expanded, and formatted, to differentiate from the current top rated answer?  
> **username_3**: @username_6 Certainly :D Improvements to existing answers are always welcome.  

---

