"Brian G" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:
"Brian G" wrote in message
...
Staffbull wrote:
Had some lengths of oak worktop and I intend to cut them into
chopping board sizes, they are untreated, what would be the best to
seal them with?

cheers

Staffbull,

I wouldn't use oak as a chopping board because of the tannic acid it

Oh come on!

Mary, it's a fact - and as 'country girl' should know that - oak
(especially English oak) is crammed full of tannic acid. Knock an iron or
mild steel nail into a piece and come back after a while and you'll find
it a nice dark shade.

I know that (not that I'm a country woman and haven't been a girl for
decades) but it's not going to affect any food.

Your nail will go black if you leave it in a cup of tea, doesn't stop you
drinking tea - Or most people anyway.

contains (that's why iron fittings and screws go black when used on
it) - I would suggest that a better material may well be sycamore.

All the maples are much softer than oak, I have one which has almost
gone through in the middle from chopping on both sides. The oak one
is as new.

I'd lay you odds that the softer boards are not made with the end grain as
the cutting area?

None of my boards is, it's not easy getting a 3/4" board with end grain
which stays together :-)

And if you're worried about contamination, end grain absorbs more blood,
juices etc. than long grain and is much more difficult to clean, butchers
spend ages cleaning them.

With regards to using the oak one, then that's a matter of choice - but
for myself, after using different species of oak throughout the years -
it's a choice that I wouldn't make.

I have one in oak and I'm neither sorry nor affected by it.

Mary