This is a everyday kitchen type wood cutting board. Last I knew just
4 types of wood were safe for such use. One type is maple. These
days I see retail cutting boards are offered in ' olive wood '... not
a type I'd normally find in a local lumber yard.

Also, I read somewhere that its recommended to rub mineral oil over a
home made cutting board. I'm guessing that mineral oil is the
drugstore variety... any insight is appreciated... thank you.

johnny asks:
This is a everyday kitchen type wood cutting board. Last I knew just
4 types of wood were safe for such use. One type is maple. These
days I see retail cutting boards are offered in ' olive wood '... not
a type I'd normally find in a local lumber yard.

No, but many wood suppliers have it. Check www.woodfinder.com for one near you.

What 4 types of wood, or 3 other than maple? First I've heard of that. I'd say
only a fool would use rosewood for a cutting board, but there are a lot more
than 4 species that will work, are safe, etc.

Also, I read somewhere that its recommended to rub mineral oil over a
home made cutting board. I'm guessing that mineral oil is the
drugstore variety... any insight is appreciated..

Yeah. Pure, old fashioned mineral oil. I don't bother. There are also some food
safe nut oil finishes (usually called salad bowl finishes) that you can use.
Almost anything that doesn't build up a hard film and won't poison you.

Charlie Self
"Character is much easier kept than recovered." Thomas Paine

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/m.../business.html

charlie asked...

What 4 types of wood, or 3 other than maple? First I've heard of that. I'd say
only a fool would use rosewood for a cutting board, but there are a lot more
than 4 species that will work, are safe, etc.


I think he is referring to open v closed grain woods. I would prefer
a good closed grain wood like maple over oak, where bacteria may be
more difficult to wash away.

Joe

On 24 Jan 2004 07:03:02 -0800, (BIG JOE) wrote:

charlie asked...

What 4 types of wood, or 3 other than maple? First I've heard of that. I'd say
only a fool would use rosewood for a cutting board, but there are a lot more
than 4 species that will work, are safe, etc.


I think he is referring to open v closed grain woods. I would prefer
a good closed grain wood like maple over oak, where bacteria may be
more difficult to wash away.

Many years ago I read an article in a reputable source (I have
forgotten where) that reported a study done to test whether plastic
cutting boards would be less likely to support bacteria growth than
wooden ones. The concern was that the bacteria would be able to hide
in the more porous wood.

The results proved the opposite. There was far less bacteria growth on
the wooden cutting boards (I don't recall if they specified the
species of wood) than on the plastic. I think they tested with various
degrees of washing and even the poorly-washed wooden boards actually
inhibited bacteria growth.

I think they theorized that something in the wood was inhibiting the
growth, but now I don't recall what.

A quick Google search turned up these:

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF11/1121B.html
http://foodsafety.ifas.ufl.edu/HTML/il114.htm
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcuttingbd.html

It sounds like open-grain "might" be even better than closed-grain
woods?

--
For email, use Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com

Top Spin responds:


I think he is referring to open v closed grain woods. I would prefer
a good closed grain wood like maple over oak, where bacteria may be
more difficult to wash away.

Many years ago I read an article in a reputable source (I have
forgotten where) that reported a study done to test whether plastic
cutting boards would be less likely to support bacteria growth than
wooden ones. The concern was that the bacteria would be able to hide
in the more porous wood.

The results proved the opposite. There was far less bacteria growth on
the wooden cutting boards (I don't recall if they specified the
species of wood) than on the plastic. I think they tested with various
degrees of washing and even the poorly-washed wooden boards actually
inhibited bacteria growth.

I'd avoid many of the exotics, as I said earlier, most particularly those like
rosewood which nearly everyone is allergic to in some form or other. But I have
had no problems with cutting boards made of white oak (avoid red) and walnut,
both open-pored woods. Usually, I do go for hard maple, trimming with cherry
when that seems desirable, and my wife is still use a cherry and hard maple
strip cutting board I made over 15 years ago for most of her heavy chopping
needs. No problems there.

Hickory would also probably work well, but it's such a bear to work (and
sometimes to find), I haven't tried it. Elm and sweetgum would work, I believe.



Charlie Self
"Character is much easier kept than recovered." Thomas Paine

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/m.../business.html

Top Spin wrote:
The concern was that the bacteria would be able to hide
in the more porous wood.

The results proved the opposite. There was far less bacteria growth on
the wooden cutting boards (I don't recall if they specified the
species of wood) than on the plastic. I think they tested with various
degrees of washing and even the poorly-washed wooden boards actually
inhibited bacteria growth.


I read where wood is 'self healing' (end grain more so than
edge grain) where once a plastic board gets a divot it's
there forever, and the divot is a place for the food to hide.



--

Mark

N.E. Ohio


Never argue with a fool, a bystander can't tell you apart.
(S. Clemens, A.K.A. Mark Twain)

When in doubt hit the throttle. It may not help but it sure
ends the suspense. (Gaz, r.moto)

Here is a link comparing wood to plastic utensils.

http://www.woodworking.co.uk/Technic.../bacteria.html

Many years ago I read an article in a reputable source (I have
forgotten where) that reported a study done to test whether plastic
cutting boards would be less likely to support bacteria growth than
wooden ones. The concern was that the bacteria would be able to hide
in the more porous wood.

The results proved the opposite. There was far less bacteria growth on
the wooden cutting boards (I don't recall if they specified the
species of wood) than on the plastic. I think they tested with various
degrees of washing and even the poorly-washed wooden boards actually
inhibited bacteria growth.

I think they theorized that something in the wood was inhibiting the
growth, but now I don't recall what.

A quick Google search turned up these:

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF11/1121B.html
http://foodsafety.ifas.ufl.edu/HTML/il114.htm
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mcuttingbd.html

It sounds like open-grain "might" be even better than closed-grain
woods?

--
For email, use Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com

In article ,
wrote:

This is a everyday kitchen type wood cutting board. Last I knew just
4 types of wood were safe for such use. One type is maple. These
days I see retail cutting boards are offered in ' olive wood '... not
a type I'd normally find in a local lumber yard.

Also, I read somewhere that its recommended to rub mineral oil over a
home made cutting board. I'm guessing that mineral oil is the
drugstore variety... any insight is appreciated... thank you.


I am fairly certain that beech ranks up close to #1 for food contact
surfaces such as cutting boards, spoons, etc. It's a nice wood to work
with and is very hard.

HTH

Andrew.

I know of a crafter that makes spoons and cutting boards out of Ky. Coffee
bean and poison ivy wood, Keeps them behind glass and branded with "not for
human use", but they are pretty. Calls them Mother in Law boards and
spoons.
"The Good Bohemian" wrote in message
...
In article ,
wrote:

This is a everyday kitchen type wood cutting board. Last I knew just
4 types of wood were safe for such use. One type is maple. These
days I see retail cutting boards are offered in ' olive wood '... not
a type I'd normally find in a local lumber yard.

Also, I read somewhere that its recommended to rub mineral oil over a
home made cutting board. I'm guessing that mineral oil is the
drugstore variety... any insight is appreciated... thank you.


I am fairly certain that beech ranks up close to #1 for food contact
surfaces such as cutting boards, spoons, etc. It's a nice wood to work
with and is very hard.

HTH

Andrew.

"Sweet Sawdust" wrote in message
I know of a crafter that makes spoons and cutting boards out of Ky. Coffee
bean and poison ivy wood, Keeps them behind glass and branded with "not
for
human use", but they are pretty. Calls them Mother in Law boards and
spoons.

Somewhere in the murky depths of human history you will find similar
beginnings of modern terror tactics.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/23/04

Sweet Sawdust wrote:

I know of a crafter that makes spoons and cutting boards out of Ky. Coffee
bean and poison ivy wood, Keeps them behind glass and branded with "not
for human use", but they are pretty. Calls them Mother in Law boards and
spoons.

Funny you should mention that. I was just today looking at an enormous
poison ivy vine and thinking it might be interesting to turn it.

I'm not that crazy though.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

In article ,
The Good Bohemian wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

This is a everyday kitchen type wood cutting board. Last I knew just
4 types of wood were safe for such use. One type is maple. These
days I see retail cutting boards are offered in ' olive wood '... not
a type I'd normally find in a local lumber yard.

Also, I read somewhere that its recommended to rub mineral oil over a
home made cutting board. I'm guessing that mineral oil is the
drugstore variety... any insight is appreciated... thank you.


I am fairly certain that beech ranks up close to #1 for food contact
surfaces such as cutting boards, spoons, etc. It's a nice wood to work
with and is very hard.

HTH

Andrew.

And popsicle sticks are usually birch. I've seen whistles made of
cherry. Wine is "aged" in (white) oak barrels.


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

In article ,
wrote:
This is a everyday kitchen type wood cutting board. Last I knew just
4 types of wood were safe for such use. One type is maple. These
days I see retail cutting boards are offered in ' olive wood '... not
a type I'd normally find in a local lumber yard.

"Safe" for use? The answer is "most".

Some species 'hold up' better than others -- don't split, gouge, dent. etc.
which makes them 'preferable' for durability reasons.

Balsa is a really Bad Idea(TM).

In article , wrote:
This is a everyday kitchen type wood cutting board. Last I knew just
4 types of wood were safe for such use. One type is maple. These
days I see retail cutting boards are offered in ' olive wood '... not
a type I'd normally find in a local lumber yard.

Pretty nearly all of the native North American hardwoods would be safe for use
in cutting boards (although not necessarily prudent, e.g. sycamore, sassafras,
and basswood are too soft for that kind of use).

Of the more readily available woods:

Sugar maple (hard maple) is the classic cutting board wood. Beech is also a
very good choice. Both are very hard and durable, and neither one will add any
undesirable flavors or odors to the food.

Cherry and walnut make nice trim or accent strips in a maple or beech cutting
board. Cherry is a bit soft, and both cherry and walnut are a bit expensive,
to be used for an entire cutting board.

White oak is quite hard also, but will tend to flavor the food a bit (although
the flavor is not necessarily objectionable).

Hickory is likewise very hard, but has a somewhat bitter flavor, which may be
undesirable.

Red oak, although hard enough, would be a poor choice, because it smells like
cat urine when it gets wet. Probably won't taste any better than it smells.

Soft maple is a bit too soft for cutting board use, but that mainly affects
how long the board will last before it needs to be resurfaced. Hard maple is a
better choice, but soft maple is usable.

Poplar is definitely too soft. Plus, it gets fuzzy, swells, and warps when it
gets wet. Poor choice.


--
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?