Tung oil is safe to eat? Once cured, pure tung oil is suitable for consumption. It is the preferred finish for wooden table tops, toys, countertops, and other items. It enhances the color of wood while providing excellent protection and is environmentally responsible.
As a natural wood finishing product, tung oil must be free of drying agents and gloss-enhancing chemicals in order to be considered food-safe.
You will learn everything you need to know about tung oil and food safety in this article, including the specific brands with tung oil finishes you should avoid.
What is Tung Oil Made Of?
Due to its sourcing from the seeds of the tung tree, tung oil is natural oil. Additionally, there are no hidden additives or chemical dryers in this oil because it is 100% pure.
But according to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, this tree is poisonous in all its forms. which would comprise the unadulterated, pure oil extracted from the seeds of this tree.
Tung oil is not categorized as an oil fit for human consumption. This is so that people can safely consume food-grade oils like raw linseed oil.
Can Tung Oil Make You Sick?
Pure Tung oil can give you nausea if taken in its pure unfiltered liquid form. You don’t want it to contaminate your food, so.
Additionally, not all Tung oil-related products on the market are even made from pure Tung oil. Many of them promote themselves as being so. Yet, unless the label specifically reads ‘100% Pure Tung oil‘, that wood finish is likely anything but.
You see, the makeup of these phony tung oil products is more akin to teak oil. In addition to varnish and other additives, they are made up of a mixture of natural oils and chemical thinners. Some could have a small amount of Tung oil. Others, may not.
Additionally extremely poisonous in their liquid form are these imitation tung oil products. To prevent them from ever ending up on your dinner plate, make sure they are never present.
Is a Dried Tung Oil Finish Safe to Eat Off?
If the Tung oil finish has dried and cured, then eating off of it is safe. However, the key word here is ‘cured‘.
A dry oil finish is a film coat that has transformed from a liquid to a solid (yet is still soft to the touch). The film coat can still have a slight greasy feeling. Therefore, it is not a food-safe surface in this dry state, which Tung oil must reach after 1-2 days.
A cured oil finish, on the other hand, is one that has evolved into a robust hard resinous coat. Tung oil needs up to 30 days to cure, which is a much longer timeframe.
But after Tung oil has dried, the finish is smooth and free of greasy stains. You can eat off of this surface because it has been properly cured.
Tung oil is not, however, appropriate for a surface used for food preparation.
Is Tung Oil Safe for a Cutting Board Or Butcher Block?
There are a couple of good reasons to skip over Tung oil for your cutting board:
It Takes Ages to Cure
You must allow the finish on your board to fully cure before using it after sealing it with Tung oil. As a result, your cutting board will be useless for several days.
Though its “build-up” is what gives tung oil its famed water resistance. The magic happens when this natural oil finish is applied and reapplied repeatedly.
Wood becomes more water-resistant as Tung oil coats are added in increasing amounts over time. Particularly since it covers the prior Tung oil coat. A Tung oil finish cannot, therefore, be applied once and left alone.
Tung oil must therefore be reapplied every 6 to 12 months. especially if the water is applied to the wood on a regular basis.
After you reapply it, the timer for waiting around for it to cure will begin all over again.
It is Not a Food Grade Finish
We chop, slice, and dice food when we use cutting boards. This implies that tiny pieces of Tung oil resin may contaminate your food.
Food may be placed on a solid Tung oil finish that has been cured. You do not want this finish, though, to end up in your actual food.
Tung oil shouldn’t be used on a cutting board because of this. Using a food-grade wood finish is the best option if you want to seal cutting boards.
How to Apply Tung Oil
The type of wood you are using will influence how to apply tung oil to your project to some extent. Although we’ve already mentioned fine-grained woods, there are times when we work with more porous woods, and each will react differently to the chosen finish.
Using a scouring pad to scratch the surface, you should dull the wood’s appearance until it is matte. This will get it ready to soak up the oil completely. Apply a thick layer of oil with a paper towel or clean cloth, let it sit for around 10 minutes to let the wood absorb it, and then wipe off any extra. Before thinking about applying a second coat, give the application at least a half-day or overnight to dry.
Two thin coats of tung oil will be preferable to one thick coat when it comes to tung oil applications. Greater protection for the wood will result from increased oil absorption.
Which Tung Oil Finish Should You Choose Considering Food-Safety?
Although there is no doubt that the Tung oil tree is poisonous, it is also true that the The substance tung oil is non-toxic. The FDA has given the go-ahead for the use of pure tung oil finishes on food-contact surfaces, such as chopping boards, furniture, and kitchen tables.
It is possible, though extremely unlikely, for non-hardened Tung oil to trigger allergic reactions. So, only after it has completely dried out should wood that has been treated with tung oil be brought in contact with food.
When applying tung oil or using it as an over-the-counter varnish, solvents are frequently used to thin it out. Even though it is still safe to eat once it has fully cured, it is still crucial to allow enough time for drying and store the treated item away from food and kids (for example). in a workshop). A smell or unhealthful fumes may be produced during the curing process, depending on the solvents used in such blends.
There are many factors you should take into account before choosing a particular kind of oil finish. This includes:
- FDA assessment of the food safety of a cured/hardened finish,
- its curing time, and
- health risks during application and curing.
The “food-safest” method of applying tung oil to wood should be to use only pure tung oil without any solvents. Tung oil that has not been diluted, however, must be applied in a labor-intensive manner and must dry slowly. Since they achieve food safety only after they have fully dried or cured, oil/varnish blends and wiping varnish have grown in popularity over time.
There are, however, additional food-safe wood finishes that you might want to take into account. In the section that follows, we give a summary of Tung oil substitutes.
Comparison With Other Food-Safe Finishes
Other than tung oil, a number of other oils and waxes can be applied to wood to finish it. We contrast mineral oil, a common substitute, and beeswax with pure tung oil in this section.
Pure Tung Oil Wood
This oil offers a stunning and durable finish, but if it is not combined with solvents, it is difficult to apply. Its characteristics include:
- FDA approved
- Creates a resistant waterproof finish
- Zero VOCs
- Natural polymerizing
- Resists acids and abrasions
Mineral Oil
One of the best food-safe oils for finishing wood is mineral oil. They are transparent, emphasizing the wood’s organic appearance. Mineral oil is
- FDA compliant
- Relatively odor-less
- Can even be used for skin treatment
- Made from distilled petroleum and other minerals
- Available in refined and crude products
- Requires regular maintenance
Beeswax
Since ancient times, beeswax has been a useful natural material. Additionally, it can be applied to wood to polish or finish it. Because it is natural and free of harsh chemicals, it makes a great food-safe oil finish. It takes a lot more work than other finishes, though. In order to make application easier, it should be melted or combined with oil. Other characteristics are:
- Non-toxic
- Provides less protection than other finishes
- Needs regular reapplication
- Works perfectly with additional lemon as an antibacterial agent
Conclusion
The kitchen and kids’ room can both use tung oil as a food-safe wood finish. However, it must have properly dried, which is crucial when it is combined with solvents or when an oil/varnish mixture is used. Regarding food safety, using pure Tung oil is probably the best option. While solvents may introduce undesirable ingredients to the mixture, it is difficult to apply without one.
FAQs
Is 100% Tung Oil Food Safe?
In terms of hardness, durability, and water resistance, tung oil outperforms shellac and linseed oil among natural finishes. After curing, it is also food-safe.
How Long Does Tung Oil Take to Be Food Safe?
With the exception of Millie’s All Purpose Penetrating Tung Oil, all of our finishes are deemed inert and food safe after being fully cured for 30 days.
Is Tung Oil Finish Food Grade Safe?
Nuts are used to extract tung oil. Although it has good water resistance, it frequently needs several coats. It leaves behind a raw surface that accentuates the grain. It is safe to eat once thoroughly cured.