Camphor

[Paul M. Kaplowitz]

I just finished several Camphor bowls with Walnut Oil and they still have that Camphor smell. Anyone know if they are food safe? ( Please answer if you KNOW. Conjecture is not helpful) Thanks

 

[hockenbery]

I just finished several Camphor bowls with Walnut Oil and they still have that Camphor smell. Anyone know if they are food safe? ( Please answer if you KNOW. Conjecture is not helpful) Thanks

Paul, your question should be whether camphor is a desirable wood for food bowls.
The camphor smell,will linger in bowls for years. I would not put an apple in a camphor bowl.
Camphor oil made by pressing the wood may be fatal of swallowed.
So we know the wood should not be eaten in large quantities.

Checkout the wood toxicity database
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/

According to the wood toxicity database say the finish reduces the toxicity
"A common question: is this wood safe to use as a plate/bowl/cutting board/etc.?Despite the very long list of woods below, very few woods are actually toxic in and of themselves. But what a great number of woods do have the potential to do is cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. This risk for finished wood projects is greatly lessened (but not eliminated) with the application of a food-safe finish. In the end, using almost any wood is a calculated risk, and the question boils down to this: how much of a potential risk am I comfortable with? 1 in 10? 1 in 1,000? 1 in 1,000,000?"

Al