Food safe or non-food safe?

[John Torchick]

When selling at a show, how do you differentiate between food safe and non-food safe items? My concern is a customer buying a bowl and using it for snacks, etc. when it has a certain finish. TIA.

 

[William Rogers]

Since there are so many finishes that fully cured are food safe, I only use food safe finishes for my bowls. I don’t think there is a good way to inform the customer that the bowl is only to be used for non food items.

 

[Dave Landers]

IMO If it can be used for food or put in the mouth (i.e. it's a bowl, platter, cup, spoon, baby rattle, toy, etc) it should have a food safe finish (or no interior finish). Should also be made from safe material (i.e. wood with low allergy/reaction issues).
Art or display pieces, hollow forms, etc can be from other materials and have other finishes.
Boxes might be in some middle-ground if you think someone might be storing spices, or their "stash", or whatever...

 

[John Torchick]

Thanks. You guys confirmed by suspicions. Food safe finishes all the way.

 

[robo hippy]

If I can eat it straight out of the can/bottle, then I consider it "food safe". If not, I don't put it on my bowls. "Supposedly" finishes with chemical "driers" are "food safe" after being fully cured. I ran into some one at a show once who was sensitive to those driers and she said that she still reacts to them. I go with the walnut oils. They will cure and harden which mineral oil never does.

robo hippy

 

[John Torchick]

Reed, many people are allergic to many things. If we were to follow that idea that one person is allergic or reacts to a certain finish, then there are no finishes that are safe.

 

[John Grace]

When selling at a show, how do you differentiate between food safe and non-food safe items? My concern is a customer buying a bowl and using it for snacks, etc. when it has a certain finish. TIA.

I've always approached this from a different perspective, that of the lawsuit. If you're sued applying something not identified as 'food safe' that's on you. If you're sued for a finish that identifies itself as 'food safe', then that's on the manufacturer. Can you still be sued...of course but the lawyers tend to go after those persons with the most money. With so many food safe choices available I'm still befuddled why anyone would choose differently.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Dr. Seri Robinson says...

STL326: No Finish? No Problem! - FineWoodworking

Seri’s book about wood toxicity and maintenance can be found on Amazon: Living with Wood: A Guide for Toymakers, Hobbyists, Crafters, and Parents A great guide for budding wood workers, […]

www.finewoodworking.com

And...

https://inthewoodspodcast.com/2025/11/16/episode-69-in-the-spalted-woods/

Here are her three books that may be of interest to you.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0GVHRKYGC

Dr. Seri Robinson is a professor in the College of Forestry’s Wood Science and Engineering program, Oregon State University.

 

[Webb Willmott]

A great theoretical discussion but on getting sued for making bowls. I couldn't find any.

My advice is to use what you like. Like what you use. And let it cure completely as per the FDA recommendations for safe food finishes...........

AI Overview

Based on available information and discussions within professional woodturning forums, there are no recorded public lawsuits against individual woodturners for injuries or illnesses resulting from non-food-safe finishes on hand-turned bowls.
While the issue is a frequent topic of debate, the practical risk of a lawsuit for a small-scale turner is considered extremely low, according to discussions on the American Association of Woodturners (AAW) forum.
Key details regarding this topic include:

• "Food Safe" Misconception: Many experts argue that the concept of "food safe" is often misinterpreted. Most commonly used finishes (lacquer, polyurethane, shellac) are generally considered safe once they have fully cured (hardened), as the volatile solvents evaporate, according to AAW forum members.
• Liability Concerns: While and individual could technically be liable under negligence or product liability, professional organizations often note that turners have more to worry about regarding injuries from customers falling on their property or displays falling, rather than injuries from food ingestion.
• Best Practices: Turners are encouraged to use oils like mineral oil, walnut oil, or beeswax for items intended for direct, heavy food use (like salad bowls) to ensure safety and consumer confidence, as noted in a Turnawoodbowl article.
• The Difference with Epoxy: While some worry about epoxy resin, most manufacturers state that once epoxy is fully cured, it is inert and safe.
  www.aawforum.org +5

While large companies have been sued for importing wood products with toxic chemicals (such as Lumber Liquidators regarding formaldehyde), this does not apply to individual, artisanal woodturners.

 

[John Torchick]

I'm a firm believer in Murphy's Law.

 

[Roger Wiegand]

Even if some manufacturer were to be foolish enough to claim their product is food safe there's no guarantee that someone somewhere won't find a problem with it in the future. There are almost certainly on the FDA GRAS list (Generally Recognized as Safe, the only actual government sanctioned list of food and drug "safe" compounds I'm aware of) that are almost certainly not safe for everyone all of the time. Many actual foods that people eat every day can not meet any sort of strict standard of being "food safe" as they will cause life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in a non-trivial fraction of the population. Saying something is "safe" puts you in the position of proving a negative, something that is virtually impossible because 1) you don't know what you don't know, new findings of toxicity of commonplace substances (including "natural and organic" ones) arise every day, 2) individuals react very differently and we don't understand all the mechanisms involved in allergic response or chemical sensitivity, and 3) people can and will convincingly (at least to a lay jury) claim harm in the absence of any plausible causal link.

So, if you must, stick to provable claims, eg "the lead content of the finish is below 0.01 PPB". Whether that is "safe" or not is a question no one can definitively answer for every person. Paracelus taught us "the dose makes the poison"; virtually everything, from water to plutonium, is toxic at some dose and that dose is going to vary from individual to individual.

 

[Mike Novak]

Mostly for anything that looks like it could be used with food I stick with natural oils. I include the finish used in my signature that I laser burn on the bottom. To Roger’s pint, it’s a provable claim. Also makes it easy to keep track while selling if anyone asks.

Just recently finished a box where I used CA on outside and Tung oil inside. Thought about putting “food safe” on it, but decided to go with “ tung oil inside, CA outside finish”

 

[John King]

Add following to the conversation. - John

 

[Roger Wiegand]

If one buys into all the hoopla about microplastics in our bodies (and many of your users and customers do), then the old mantra about any fully cured clear finish being "safe" is out the window. At the end of the day nothing can be proved safe and we have to go ahead living life anyway, making the best decisions we can. I'd certainly avoid finishes with known toxicities, like heavy metals and long term formaldehyde off-gassing but can't bring myself to worry about it much beyond that.

 

[John Torchick]

John King, a long treatise on the topic. Will definitely take time to read it. Thanks for contributing.

 

[Tom Rice]

If one buys into all the hoopla about microplastics in our bodies (and many of your users and customers do), then the old mantra about any fully cured clear finish being "safe" is out the window. At the end of the day nothing can be proved safe and we have to go ahead living life anyway, making the best decisions we can. I'd certainly avoid finishes with known toxicities, like heavy metals and long term formaldehyde off-gassing but can't bring myself to worry about it much beyond that.

Good old fashioned mineral oil

 

[Tom Rice]

I've always approached this from a different perspective, that of the lawsuit. If you're sued applying something not identified as 'food safe' that's on you. If you're sued for a finish that identifies itself as 'food safe', then that's on the manufacturer. Can you still be sued...of course but the lawyers tend to go after those persons with the most money. With so many food safe choices available I'm still befuddled why anyone would choose differently.

Makes me just want to turn stuff and toss it in the fireplace, getting sued would suck

 

[John K Jordan]

Long, long time ago Richard Raffan told our club once he either put no finish or an oil/beeswax finish on salad bowls. Hand washed and let air dry after use. The wood developed a natural patina over time. The oil/beeswax could be reapplied if desired.

To keep from getting sued, don't sell. No need to burn. Just leave things in public places and let people take them. Rejoice in the making.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

To keep from getting sued, don't sell. No need to burn. Just leave things in public places and let people take them. Rejoice in the making.

That's my method, feels great seeing someone smile with no cost.