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You ask, we answer. Find all of our frequently asked questions or ask your own by visiting Get Answers.

QUESTION:

We're installing a butcher block counter top in our kitchen. Do you know of a product we can apply to protect and condition the wood?

ANSWER:

I've been using a product called B's Oil Salad Bowl & Wood Preserver, made by Holland Bowl Mill. It says right on the label that it is made only from natural oils and beeswax. I even called the company, who assured me it was "all-natural". 

We've been using it on our wooden salad bowls and cutting boards since I found it in a fancy San Francisco cooking store years ago. Just recently, we used it to finish the wooden top on a kitchen island we built. It really protects the wood - water beads right up and we felt good having the beeswax around our organic food. It has no odor, except for the slight sweetness of beeswax. 



The Holland Bowl Mill website says it has received many letters from customers telling them B's Oil is so gentle that they use it as their favorite hand cream moisturizer. 

So I was surprised to find out that it is actually made from beeswax and mineral oil! I had a long phone conversation with the owner and made sure he understood that you cannot label a product containing mineral oil as natural. I see he has changed the description on his website after our conversation. 



I set out to find a truly all-natural wood conditioner for my wooden salad bowls and cutting boards, and discovered some interesting things even many woodworkers don't know. 

It is important to apply some kind of protection to wood cutting boards and bowls before using them the first time, to prevent staining and absorption of food odors and bacteria, and to keep water from penetrating the wood, which results in warping and cracking. 



Some suggest "seasoning" the wood with oil, just as you would a cast-iron pan. Warm the oil slightly, and apply in the direction of the grain, allowing it to soak in between each coat. Apply four or five coats of oil. Wait about four to six hours between coats, and wipe off any excess oil that did not soak in before applying the next coat of warm oil. 



The question is: What type of oil should be used to season the wood? 



Most woodworkers today use USP-grade mineral oil because it is 1 edible 2 tasteless and 3 the cheapest pure food-grade oil you can buy. Vegetable and olive oils are not recommended because they turn rancid. Mineral oil, however, is a petrochemical product.

While it is relatively nontoxic, as a wood surface protector it does come in contact with food. When you see the words "food safe finish" in a description of a wood product, this generally means mineral oil has been used. 

Beeswax is often added to mineral oil to give a tougher finish. The wax of bees has been used for centuries for waterproofing and sealing materials from baskets to cloth and for preserving foods and other perishable materials, including wood. This was long before the days of mineral oil, which is a petrochemical product of the Industrial Age. 



Beeswax is often used to protect wood. It will make wood water-resistant though not water-proof and will help protect the wood surface from use and wear. It will also give a wood surface a nice smooth feel to the touch and leave a gentle, sweet fragrance. 

But...you can't use just straight beeswax because it is a huge molecule and cannot penetrate the wood. It is a great surface treatment, but wood needs oil, which can penetrate for protection. This is why beeswax wood conditioners are mixed with oil. 

The solution turns out to be...walnut oil. It's all-natural and is one of the few oils that doesn't turn rancid. 

The simplest thing to do is to simply purchase a bottle of walnut oil at a specialty grocery or natural food store and apply it directly to your wood bowl or board. If you want, you can add as much beeswax as you like while you are warming the oil for application. Make fine shreds of beeswax from a block or candle.

Or, you can purchase commercial formulations. Woodworker's Supply carries several food safe finishes. 



* Preserve contains "a blend of oils from the meats of exotic nuts" 

* Clapham's Beeswax Salad Bowl Finish contains mineral oil and carnuba wax a harder wax than beeswax, along with the beeswax. 

* General Finishes Salad Bowl Finish creates "a beautiful and safe finish on...any wood surface that contacts food...Dried film is non-toxic for food contact 72 hours after drying." MSDS shows ingredients to be Mineral spirits, Nonane, Oil modified urethane resin and 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene. Hardly nontoxic during application. I'd choose a different option. 



And what about B's Oil I've been using? Turns out it's 80 percent beeswax and 20 percent mineral oil. Not the worst, but not the most natural. I think I'll get some walnut oil. 



Once the wood is protected, it needs to be maintained to control bacteria:

* Scrub boards and bowls frequently with hot soapy water. 

* Sanitize with a one to five dilution of vinegar to water. Flood the surface with the vinegar solution and allow it to stand for several minutes, then rinse and air dry.
* Keep dry when not in use. Beware of moisture collecting beneath boards left on the counter. Prop one end up when not using your board. 

* Oil boards once a week bowls get additional oiling every time you use them from the salad dressing. 

* Choose wood boards over plastic. Research has shown that bacteria cannot be removed by hand-washing from knife-scared plastic boards. On wood boards the bacteria dies off within 3 minutes. The theory is that the porous surface of the wood surface of the wooden boards deprives the bacteria of water, causing them to die. 

* Use a separate board for cutting raw meat and poultry to ensure their will be no cross-contamination with other foods eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables, and bread.

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

 Image Courtesy of BotheredbyBees / CC By 2.0

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.

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