Kitchen utensil finish

[Paul Laphere]

I am making some bread cooling racks and have some questions about food safe finishes. Can I stain the wood then apply a food grade oil after the stain is cured? or am I stuck with the just the oil?

Thanks

[Stan Urbas]

If it were me - and it has been, many times - I'd stick to the salad oil. I just don't know what is in stains.

[Greg Carr]

For a cooling rack, I would probably leave it unfinished. I would not want to risk the finish being heated up an absorbed into the food.

If I felt it necessary to stain the wood I might try a water based dye.

Greg

[Maurice Ungaro]

If you put ANY oil on food prep items, it has to be food grade. Be advised though, that many food oils are too viscous to be properly absorbed into the grain and end up leaving a residue. Best bet for oils would be either mineral oil (very inexpensive) or walnut oil (pricey).

Good luck!

[Jim Becker]

I leave this particular project unfinished...including the stain. If you must put something on it, mineral oil. If you want color, choose your material with that in mind.

That said, all finishes sold today are "food safe" when fully cured.

[Howard Acheson]

I too, would not put any finish on your items. Most finishes do not tolerate heat well and you may end up just softening the finish when you put a hot item on the rack. Some of the softened finish can end up in the item. You could also end up with some of the odor from the finish.

Mineral oil would be my choice if I used anything. Mineral oil is food and human safe. It will add a little protect and can be renewed when the wood dries out.

[Mike Null]

I wouldn't use any finish but if you must then shellac is safe and better than most people think. Mineral oil has worked well while so called food safe stuff (various cooking oils) can become rancid.