Quick Question about Wood Toxicity!!

[Jonathon.C]

Hello!!!!

I just turned a stirrer for the kitchen for stuff like hot liquids or soup. It is made out of a wood called Shedua (I don't know much about it other than the fact that it is some sort of exotic wood). I was curious if the toxicity in the wood (if there is any) would cause food poisoning?? Also, while finishing it, I sprayed on denatured alcohol to raise the grain and then lit it on fire. If anybody has seen Jimmy Clewes' Turnaround DVD, they will know what I am talking about. Anyway, I was wondering if this will cause kitchen utensils to be toxic? Any answers would be much apprectiated!

Jonathon.C

 

[JimQ]

See:

http://www.woodturner.org/resources/toxicity.cfm

on this site. Or you can click on the seal in the upper left corner of this page, then on Resources, then on Wood Toxicity and Wood Identification. But there is no mention of Shedua.

JimQ

 

[MichaelMouse]

With apologies to Sarah Lee, everybody doesn't like something. Any wood is likely to provoke a reaction in someone. The group of someones may be large or small, but there will be a group.

That said, tropical woods, exposed as they are to insect and bacterial/fungal attack 365 days a year are more likely to contain those extractives designed to kill their attackers in sufficient quantity to affect a large group of humans than temperate zone woods. Darker woods are more likely than lighter, and smelly woods more likely than scentless. Taste being chemical, as is smell, works the same.

So - ideal wood for food is one which is from a temperate zone tree, light in color and which has no smell/taste, and is not durable in ground contact. Which is why they make cutting boards out of beech or maple. If the utensil were primarily utilitarian, I'd make it out of one of those.

Of course I've made thousands of spoons, spatulae and salad sets out of cherry, too.

 

[Jonathon.C]

Thanks for the answers!!!

Hey, thanks for the link to the website, Jim!!! Even though it didn't mention shedua, I skimmed through it and it seemed to have a lot of cool information!!

And thank you Michael for the answer to the question... it made a lot of sense! I guess I'll probably want to stick with domestic woods in the future!!! So when you are talking about darker woods, does that rule out walnut or other such dark wood for kitchen use??? Thanks again to you both!!!!

Jonathon.C

 

[MichaelMouse]

So when you are talking about darker woods, does that rule out walnut or other such dark wood for kitchen use??? Jonathon.C

Woods loaded with tannins are going to taste nasty. That's what they're there for. If you don't soak in one, you'll probably never notice. OTOH, woods loaded with tannins are pretty mold resistant. Always a tradeoff.

The irritation with walnut seems to come in the working of it. Affects a lot of people. I just came up for tea, and have been turning cherry. I like the smell of cherry, but if you taste the heartwood, it is sort of astringent and bitter. Sort of like steeping the tea a bit too long. All are plant extractives.

 

[Jonathon.C]

Thanks again for your help!!!

Hey, this is helpful/great information to know... Thanks again!!!!!!